Georgetown: In a further delay before the recommencement of the elections recount in the aftermath of the Chief Justice Roxane George recent ruling, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on April Fool’s Day said it will be studying the rulings of the Full Court of Appeal before a scheduled meeting Thursday to discuss the way forward.
The decision to delay the meeting until Thursday was met with rejection by Opposition nominated GECOM Commissioners Sase Gunraj, Bibi Shadick and Robeson who in a statement noted that it is “unacceptable.”
GECOM spokesperson Yolanda Ward said the commission first has to study the decisions before that seven-member body meets on Thursday to decide the way forward for results of the general and regional elections held one month ago.
The ruling of the Full Court of Appeal on Tuesday discharged all injunctions that restrained GECOM from executing its full mandate.
The Full Court, comprising Chief Justice Roxane George and Justice Nareshwar Harnanan, on Tuesday discharged the injunctions granted by the High Court Judge Franklyn Holder on March 17 in which he stopped GECOM from carrying out a national recount of votes cast at the March 02 general and regional elections.
In a unanimous decision, the Full Court ruled that Justice Holder made an error in determining that he can hear the case filed by APNU+AFC Candidate Ulita Moore.
Following the ruling, the Opposition GECOM Commissioners said they were contacted about their availability for a meeting at 10:00hrs Wednesday but at 08:43hrs, they received an email from GECOM which stated: “The Government Commissioners requests that they be given an opportunity to read the decision of the full court, since the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the way forward. They requested that the meeting be held tomorrow morning instead (the time will be communicated).”
The Opposition GECOM Commissioners said, “The judgment of the Full Court was broadcast live on national media. The world had access to it. The judgment was pellucid and requires little explanation, if any.
“The nation and world anxiously awaits a resolution of this matter that is now one month old. We recall the numerous occasions on which such stalling measures were employed with the inevitable result being to facilitate some dilatory tactic or the other.”
The three Commissioners further noted that a meeting should be called immediately…There are legal and constitutional remedies for nonattendance. We hope that the local and foreign observers as well as the international community take note of this further attempt to delay the conclusion of the electoral process. How much longer are we going to allow GECOM to operate to the detriment of the national interest?” the opposition commissioners noted.
Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall , said “what nonsense do we hear now about a “study” of the Full Court’s ruling? People’s patience running thin with these asinine disclosures. The Chairperson of GECOM must act now and decisively so. It is the only way that she can salvage herself and the electoral process!!”
He added that the GECOM Chairman had committed to the Court and the nation that once the injunctions are lifted, GECOM would proceed with the recount.
Further, Nandlall recalled that President Granger said that the injunctions prevented him from discharging his commitment under the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-supervised recount.
Noting that the High Court’s decision was streamed live on the internet and widely reported by the media and lawyers for the GECOM Chairman and the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield were present in Court when the ruling was rendered, Nandlall remarked that “one must be a retard to be unaware of its nature and effect.”
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