Guyana has approved a request by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for a regional team of scrutineers to oversee the recount of votes cast in last month’s general elections.

The National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF)  said the decision was taken on Monday at its weekly statutory virtual meeting.

“Among the decisions taken was the approval of the request from CARICOM for officials to travel to Guyana on Thursday, April 30th for the purposes of overseeing the recount of ballots by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM),” government said in a brief statement.

Earlier Monday, GECOM spokeswoman Yolanda Ward had said CARICOM Secretary-General, Irwin La Rocque had asked the NCTF Chairman, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo for arrangements to be put in place  for a charter flight to bring the team of regional scrutineers to oversee the recount of votes cast in last month’s general elections.

Warde said the CARICOM Chief was “requesting approval for the departure and landing of a chartered flight from Guyana to collect the team members and return the day. Similar arrangement for their return upon completion of the exercise.”

The CARICOM Secretary General also said arrangements would be made for the members of the team to be tested in their respective country, using the World Health Organisation (WHO( approved PCR COVID-19 test.

GECOM has already drafted an order for the recount to be published in the Official Gazette ahead of the team’s arrival. The exercise is expected to take at least 25 days.