International observers for elections recount to be quarantined, no recount beyond curfew – Fmr Prime Minister

Georgetown: In a further bid to delay election results in Guyana, Former Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who is Chairman of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) said if international electoral observers wish visit Guyana for the national recount of votes, they will be quarantined for 14 days and the recount cannot go beyond the 6 p.m. curfew.

Nagamootoo related this in an emailed response to Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice (retired) Claudette Singh.

Meanwhile, in a column on Sunday in the state newspapers, Nagamootoo stated as follows:

So, it should surprise no law-abiding citizen that GECOM’S Chairman, Madam Claudette Singh, a retired Justice of Appeal, should request the NCTF to seek guidance regarding:-

(a) time at which the daily recount exercise should end;

(b) number of persons who should be safely accommodated at the recount venue at the same time; and

(c) required protocols for quarantining persons coming from abroad, and who were invited to be part of the recount process.

Yesterday, I provided the Chairman of GECOM with the advice of the task force, as follows:-

1. That GECOM adjusts its desired 10-hour work schedule within the daily 6am to 5pm (06:00hr to 17:00hrs) time-frame, and does not extend it into the curfew period (18:00hrs to 06:00hrs).
2. That all persons who are permitted special entry into Guyana during this period when our air space is closed to in-bound passengers, must submit themselves to being quarantined at a government institution for a period of 14 days.
3. That GECOM allows four technical experts of the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) to conduct a site visit to assess whether distancing arrangements conform to the pandemic guidelines and the published Order.

On Friday, the GECOM Chair sent an email to the Six Commissioners as follow:

Dear Commissioners,

Pursuant to my undertaking at the Commission meeting held on 16th April, 2020 to communicate my decision via email on the number of workstations to be used for the national recount of ballots cast in the 2nd March, 2020 General and Regional Election, please note the following:-

Having considered all the circumstances in light of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the requirement of social distancing, I have decided as follows:-

1. that there should be no more than ten (10) work stations, subject to the availability of the requisite equipment and technology to display the ballots;
2. that each work station should tabulate its own results;
3. that, for security reasons, all the work stations should be located inside the Conference Centre building.

Please also be advised that I have written to the Prime Minister / Chairman of the National Covid-19 taskforce with some specific requests. He has since indicated that an urgent meeting of the taskforce would be convened to discuss same and a response would be provided shortly.

Best regards,

Justice Claudette Singh SC, CCH

Justice of Appeal (Retd)

Chairperson

Guyana Elections Commission

Breaking News