SUPPORTERS of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change political party, on Tuesday, converged in front of the Guyana Elections Commission offices in New Amsterdam, as well as on the West Coast Berbice, pressing for the swift declaration of the March 2, 2020 elections results.
Coalition candidate, Mr. Jevaughn Stephen, told the Guyana Chronicle that the disgruntled supporters are calling on GECOM to make its final declaration with respect to the recently-held general and regional elections in light of the Constitution. Further, they are calling on the Chief Elections Officer to present his report to the commission and for the commission to declare its results. Stephens noted too that the based on the delayed declaration of the results, supporters have decided to take the streets so that their voices can be heard.
Across on the West Coast Berbice, a group of supporters of the APNU+AFC Coalition also mounted a picketing demonstration outside the Office of GECOM at Fort Wellington, demanding that the commission swears in President David Granger for a second term. The protestors chanted: Swear in Granger now! Swear in Granger now!
Former MP, Jennifer Wade, said that the APNU+AFC had been twice declared winner of the 2020 elections and it was time GECOM got its act together. “Anybody can shout an elections rigged but GECOM is the final authority and we want to see them taking decisive action now,” she said. A spokesman said that the protest started at 14:00hrs and will last until late this evening and will continue tomorrow and until GECOM discharges its responsibility of swearing in David Arthur Granger as President.
After more than a week of confrontations and legal actions, the votes for District Four for the General and Regional Elections were finally declared by the Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo last Friday night, amid heavy police presence at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) High Street, Kingston Headquarters. According to the declaration, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) secured the highest number of votes in both the General and Regional Elections, followed by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C).
In the General Elections, APNU+AFC secured 136,057 votes in District Four (Demerara-Mahaica), while the PPP/C raked in 77,231 votes. A New United Guyana (ANUG) secured the third largest number of votes with 1,387 votes, followed by Change Guyana with 919 votes; Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) with 761 votes and The Citizenship Initiative, 463 votes. The People’s Republic Party got 389 votes and The New Movement (TNM) 128 votes while the United Republican Party only managed to rake in 90 votes.
Meanwhile, in the Regional Elections, the APNU+AFC secured 130,289 votes while the PPP/C raked in 74,877 votes. Change Guyana received 914 votes, while 752 votes were cast in favour of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP); 401 in favour of the People’s Republic Party; 125 in favour of the Victory of the People Party and 98 votes in favor of the United Republican Party. With being declared winner in Region Four, the coalition, based on GECOM’s results, would have won the elections clinching both the presidency and a one-seat majority in the 65-seat National Assembly.
The declaration was challenged by the opposition – PPP and GECOM is still deliberating whether to allow a recount of the votes for all 10 regions.
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_03_18_2020