Georgetown: US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah Ann Lynch said persons facing visa restrictions for undermining Guyana’s democracy will not be notified about the sanction on them, but will instead face the reality when they seek to travel.
The visa sanctions were announced on Wednesday by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as the United States and the international community grow impatient with key officials of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the Coalition APNU+AFC who are bent on using fraudulent votes to declare the results of an election and keep David Granger and his government in office.
The Ambassador was tightlipped about the identities and categories of persons affected, pointing to US privacy laws which prohibit her from releasing such information.
The envoy took the opportunity to note that despite there being about seven different results being brought forth during this election saga, the US Government has thrown its weight behind the “legitimate and credible count” of the national recount process.
U.S Ambassador Sarah Ann-Lynch Thursday, speaking during a virtual press conference, said the sanctions were targeted at particular individuals.
She said the events after March 02 have shown that there are “forces” that have repeatedly refused to accept the will of the people at the ballot box.
“Guyana’s non-democratic trajectory is dangerous for its citizens and for the hemisphere as a whole,” she stated, adding that she hopes Guyana’s leaders understand what is at stake if Guyana continues along this path.
She again warned of serious consequences for breaching the democratic principles Guyana is associated with key organisations such as the OAS.
The U.S. Ambassador expressed confidence in the chair of GECOM, retired Justice Claudette Singh, saying she was shocked and appalled at the dangerous statements and the actions that have seen directed at Justice Singh.
“Chairwoman Singh is a person of the utmost integrity and a distinguished jurist who has given decades of her life in service to her country. I hope that all Guyanese will speak out on her behalf and allow her to continue her work and bring this electoral process to closure,” the envoy said.
Nevertheless, she noted that the US continues to hope that the will of Guyanese people is respected and further pledged her country’s support to ensure this.
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