Georgetown: In what the international community along with local observers have labeled as fraud, the vote count for Region Four, using fabricated numbers and blurred statements that no one could see, was declared Friday night, paving the way for the swearing-in of President David Granger.
As such Guyana is expected to face heavy sanctions under the veil of possible isolation by the international community.
At about 10 pm Friday, United States Acting Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael Kozack said that “Democratic nations can’t ignore this blatant disregard for rule of law. The world is watching. There is still time. Respect the will of the Guyanese people to choose their leader.”
The Returning Officer of District Four, Clairmont Mingo was whisked away by a party of Policeman even before anyone could request a recount; the parties have until 12 noon Saturday to request the recount.
The vote count for Region Four, as declared by Mingo, is likely to give the Coalition a one-seat majority.
International governments, including the U.S., UK, Canada, and the EU, along with observers from the Commonwealth, the OAS, the EU, the Carter Center and CARICOM, have all said that if the verification of the Region Four Statements of Poll are not credibility completed it will be regarded as fraudulent.
The High Court had ordered Mingo to use the original Statements of Poll from the Region to add up the votes cast for each party and to display those Statements so party agents and others could see them. But this did not take place, according to those on the ground.
The Chair of the Commission, Justice Singh, had declared that the ruling of the court would be complied with.
“The Statements of Poll were scanned and projected on the stained bed sheet/cardboard contraption that served as a screen. “The Statements of Poll were evidently tampered with. “There were visible alterations…figures changed, numbers scratched out and replaced,” said GECOM Commissioner Sese Gunraj said.
The votes for parties in Region Four were officially declared showing a win for the APNU+AFC with 130, 289 votes at the regional elections and 136,057 votes in the general elections.
The media was invited to the declaration at 22:50hrs by the Public Relations Officer Yolanda Ward who assured that security personnel were briefed to allow the media access but upon arrival at the Kingston location, media workers were prevented from entering by supporters of the APNU+AFC.
The supporters formed a human barricade at the Main and Lamaha street entrance and shouted: “No media.”
The reporters were verbally attacked and barred from entering beyond the Police barricades while one reporter was almost physically attacked.
The supporters also chased away a Carter Center observer earlier Friday evening who tried enter GECOM’s headquarters to observe the process as the Police officers present there refuse to offer any assistance.
GECOM Election Commissioner, Robeson Benn expressed concern about whether, like in 2015, the Returning Officer would be located to deliver requests for a recount which is provided for under the law. He said most of the statements of poll were displayed on a projector and could not be seen properly. He also said the documents could not have been authenticated because they were displayed by projector.
“This is indeed an extremely flawed process and our country will be fraught with difficulty to get over this problem,” Benn said.
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