The start of the national recount of votes cast in the March 2, 2020 general elections now hinges on a signed agreement between Guyana’s two top political leaders but Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo indicated that he is not the one to be blamed.
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) says the recount cannot begin unless there is a signed agreement between President David Granger, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
GECOM’s spokeswoman, Yolanda Ward told News-Talk Radio Guyana/ Demerara Waves Online News that she did not know at what stage were arrangements for the signing of the agreement.
Mr. Jagdeo told News-Talk Radio that at 5:24 PM yesterday, he received an informal diplomatic message from the Caricom Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque. Jagdeo said he replied at 5:30 PM with his comments.
“This aide memoire is about things we discussed and agreed to and should not have been contentious,” said Jagdeo.
He described as “disgusting” the situation in which the members of the CARICOM supervisory team for the recount were taken away from their jobs and families for almost two days and shuttled to Guyana but have been unable to get down to work. “I find this very disgusting that Mr. Granger will ask for the team to come down as a matter of urgency” but the national recount has not started.
Jagdeo reiterated that the GECOM Chairman, Claudette Singh should go ahead with the recount of votes cast in Region Four in keeping with commitments she had given.
Shortly after 3:30 this afternoon, a shipping container of ballot boxes and other electoral material left the GECOM headquarters for the Arthur Chung Conference Centre where the recounting will be conducted.
Last night, the Caricom team that will be supervising the recount, the CARICOM Secretary General and the Guyana Elections Commission hammered out a terms of reference and work-plan for the review.
CARICOM Chairman, Mia Mottley earlier this month led a team of colleague prime ministers who met with Granger and Jagdeo. Shortly before they left Guyana, Mottley stressed that “very vote must count”.
The United States, Britain, Canada, European Union, the Commonwealth, Organisation of American States, Carter Centre and the CARICOM observer missions have all expressed grave concern about the lack of transparency and lack of credibility in the tabulation of results for Region Four.
