JOINT PRESS RELEASE BY POLITICAL PARTIES
March 8, 2020: GEORGETOWN – The political parties that have signed hereto, welcome the ruling of Chief Justice Roxanne George-Wilshire , which established that the Court has jurisdiction to hear the injunction against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), related to Guyana's March 2, 2020 - General and Regional Elections.
Further, the parties welcome the commitment and pronouncements of international observers, local observer groups, several governments, international and local organizations that support the preservation of democracy in Guyana.
The various parties subscribed hereto, have access to copies of Statements of Poll (SOP) from District #4, which they have gathered independently and these SOP will be used in the legally required verification process.
The parties call on all citizens of Guyana to remain calm and peaceful as these matters continue to engage the attention of the Courts, and as we continue to work with the local and international community in ensuring that GECOM follows the specific provisions of the relevant election laws and operate within a framework of respected democratic norms.
The parties demand that GECOM desists from taking any unlawful or illegal action, which will constitute a breach of the relevant legislation and extant Orders of the Court.
As various statements from diverse members of the international community reiterated, the votes of District #4 must be verified and tabulated in the manner required by the relevant elections legislation. It is only after such a legal process is completed that the results for District #4 should be publicly declared.
The parties take note of the important threats of sanctions from the international community in general and the ABCE countries in particular, which can include personal sanctions against all those who participated in the process to undermine democracy by acting outside of the rule of law.
We call on all Guyana to understand that the political parties outside of APNU-AFC are working for a peaceful and legal resolution to this situation and we remain committed to respecting the results emanating from District #4, pursuant to a process conducted in accordance with Section 84 (1) of the Representation of the People’s Act, Chapter 1:03.
We strongly support the statement from the US Department of State which emphasized that "The people of Guyana deserve a credible election and transfer of power that reflects their will.
Vote tabulation irregularities marred Guyana’s March 2 elections. Our Ambassador and many observers saw flawed tabulation. Irrespective of today’s legal proceedings, any government sworn in on the basis of that result would not be legitimate."
Signed:
CG
LJP
PPP/C
TNM
URP
ANUG