March 6, 2020

Trouble in Guyana

By Newsroom

A high Court Order for Results to be Verified:

The High Court in Guyana has granted an injunction to restrain official of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from declaring the results of the 2020 elections unless the results are verified according to law.

But it could not be served on the relevant parties after the GECOM Headquarters was shut down and the relevant authority brae nowhere to be found. the area around the headquarters has been cordoned off by riot police.

The injunctions were filed by the opposition  People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)  as Guyana remains tense over the results of Region Four in Monday’s General; elections. Region Four is the largest voting block and includes the capital Georgetown.

The move follows attempts by Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo, Election District Number Four in Guyana, to declare the results for Region Four even though there had been an agreement between the PPP/C and GECOM for further verification, following a dispute over the authenticity of data.

Foreigners  deported on suspicion of tampering with the elections

Amid the tension and high emotions the Alliance For Change (AFC), which was the ruling party before the elections, claims that the PPP/C has attempted to tamper with the integrity of the Elections results with the help of foreigners. Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan reported that on elections day, the Guyana Police Force arrested three foreign nationals who were allegedly meeting with leading members of the opposition at the Marriott Hotel. The three individuals were identified as Libyan National Marwan Al-Ayed, US National Brent Kartcher and Russian National Vadim Kyrillov. A fourth National said to be Russian-American, is reportedly still on the run. Police reportedly seized a number of flash drives, computers, tablets, and other electronic items from the men. Ramjattan said they were forced to deport the foreign nationals after their “intelligence realized that there was some conspiracy to tap into GECOM’s computer system”. In that tone, he accused  Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo of speaking directly with the Russians.

 

Opposition stymied in the call for a recount

Jagdeo told the press on Thursday night  that there is a plot to steal the election, and that “it’s unfolding before our very eyes.” The PPP/C, according to Jagdeo, was attempting to serve the RO’s office with a notice of request for a recount, but that it was unable to find Mr Mingo. He is concerned that there may be an attempt to outrun the statutory period in which a petition for a recount could be accepted. The PPP/C had released its own tabulation of the statements of poll, which show that it maintained the lead, even after region four was included. Several representatives from other parties emerged from the media centre at GECOM yesterday to make similar statements to the press.Altogether six political parties have called for a recount of the results of region four, the most populous region. The parties are concerned that the integrity of the count is questionable, given that the results have not been verified. The parties held a press conference last night calling for a swift resolution to the deadlock emanating from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) media and command centre. The persons present were Lenox Shuman, presidential candidate of the Liberty & Justice Party (LJP); Raul Aaron, representing leader and presidential candidate of the United Republican Party (URP), Dr. Vishnu Bandhu; Nigel Hinds, who is the Chairman of Change Guyana, representing the party’s presidential candidate, Robert Badal; Irfaan Ali, presidential candidate of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C); Bharrat Jagdeo, PPP/C general secretary; Mark Phillips, PPP/C prime ministerial candidate; Timothy Jonas, chairman of A New and United Guyana (ANUG); Kian Jabour, assistant secretary of ANUG; and Asha Kissoon, presidential candidate and chairperson of The New Movement (TNM).

 Source: Kaieteur News Online, Stabroek News, Guyana Chronicle
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