Barbados, like the rest of its Caribbean neighbours, for the most part is caught up with safely mapping out the way forward in a post COVID-19 environment, having generally flattened the curve of the viral illness.
That task, however, does not lessen our interest in developments unfolding in our Caribbean Community (CARICOM) sister nation Guyana.
Indeed, we are watching with much anticipation, the headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat where, by all accounts, the recount of the controversial March 2 regional and general elections is complete.
The unconfirmed results indicate that of the 460,352 valid votes cast, the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) has won 217,920 and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) 233,336. Three other parties – A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), and The New Movement (TNM) – got a total of 5,214 votes.
So, the stage has been set for a change in Government.
But before the move to install the Irfaan Ali-led PPP, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) must first receive the summary report of Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield on the recount, on or before Friday, June 13, that includes a tabulation of the certified recount results from the ten electoral districts, together with a summary of the observation reports for each district. The commission is then expected to deliberate the report before it determines whether Lowenfield should use the data to compile a final report for declaration of the results by GECOM Chairperson Justice Claudette Singh.
Guyanese have been patient for more than three months, and certainly, they deserve to get on with their affairs under the leadership of the government they opted to elect.
The time for any stalling tactics, unfounded allegations, and unnecessary roadblocks is over and should not be tolerated.
Guyanese lives matter!
Still, it would be foolhardy to write off mounting noises from the incumbent coalition heaping doubt on the integrity of the recount process.
Charges include fake voters, dead voters and missing official documents. One wonders to what end.
The concerns have prompted the incoming Chairman of CARICOM Dr Ralph Gonsalves to comment that the results of the recount should be used to declare the outcome of the vote and that those results be respected, which was a commitment made by the two main party leaders.
He said: “We expect the CARICOM Observer Mission to deliver its report and we expect that what is the recount would be honoured and the Guyana Elections Commission would honour that recount and declare the winner in accordance with this recount, and anybody who wants to challenge anything afterwards can go to court. But you have to declare the winner in accordance with the recount.”
Furthermore, Dr Gonsalves was adamant that CARICOM would not allow the results of the recount, which was properly done, to be set aside.
A firm stance is indeed needed.
Guyana’s political wrangling has been allowed to run its course over the last few months despite the overwhelming messages coming from the observer teams from CARICOM, the Commonwealth and the Organisation of American States, that the results of the recount should be accepted by all parties and that it be the basis for installing the government.
CARICOM, therefore, cannot waiver on its long-held tradition of democracy and rule of law.
We have just watched the transition of power in member states Suriname and St Kitts/Nevis. Guyana’s is long overdue. Much is riding on this outcome. With the oil-rich nation on the cusp of becoming one of the world’s power houses, Guyana needs a credible, strong administration in place that will represent the interests of its people.
Therefore, in the current scenario, all political interests must step back and free Guyana from this dark cloud.
The world is watching and as experts have warned, hardly will key governments, trading partners and the wider international community lightly treat to a shambolic democracy.
