A GROUP of Guyanese scholars and professionals on Tuesday urged President David Granger to remain in Office and demonstrate his commitment to lead Guyana on the path to prosperity.
The statement comes at a time when there are increasing calls for President Granger to demit office, based on the contention that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) lost the Elections. The basic tabulation of votes during a 33-day National Recount shows a win for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) by some 15,000 votes, but the recount also unearthed thousands of irregularities and cases of voter impersonation. The Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, in his report on the National Recount, told the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, that the widespread cases of electoral fraud had compromised the electoral process. In keeping with the June 22 decision of the Court of Appeal that the President must be elected on the basis of valid votes, the Chief Elections Officer, on June 23, submitted an Elections Report to the Commission which showed a win for the APNU+AFC. The Chief Elections Officer had separated the valid votes from the votes that were affected by anomalies and cases of voter impersonation.

In the statement, which was penned by Professor Emeritus of Management, Charles Cambridge, Ph.D; Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Aubrey Bonnett, Ph.D; and Vice-President of Real World Clinical Research and Outcomes Centre for Medicine, Frank Douglas Ph.D, Attorney, Gloria DeClou and Dr Lloyd Blenman said it is clear that the Opposition, the PPP/C, has left no stone unturned in their attempt to regain office.

“These stratagems included the hiring of a US-based public relations firm to the open encouragement of regional politicians to involve themselves in the internal affairs of the Republic,” the distinguished Guyanese said.

They said the PPP/C, in their quest to regain power, have disregarded the fundamental tenets of the Guyanese Constitution insofar as it relates to the role and function of the Guyana Court of Appeal.

“While the leaders of PPP/C have been trumpeting unsubstantiated allegations against the incumbent APNU+AFC Coalition that it has sought to remain in office illegally, it continues to willfully overlook what the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana says in respect of the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal to hear and determine any question related to the election of the President. And, moreover, the decision of the Court of Appeal is final and not subject to Appeal,” the professionals said.

The scholars and professionals said nothing withstanding its own recognition that the final level of adjudication of the dispute is the Guyana Court of Appeal, the PPP/C, nonetheless, moved to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to appeal the recent decision of the Court of Appeal that the President must be elected on the basis of valid votes.

They said this recent act illustrates the desperation of the PPP/C.
“And as if these egregious behaviours on the part of the PPP/C were not enough to show that the delay in the conclusion of the 2020 elections, and in swearing in President Granger who magnanimously consented to a recount was the result of their machinations, a number of delaying tactics and strategies continue to be employed. For example, a recount process which employed a flawed methodology, including an inappropriate sampling technique, drew unsupportable conclusions as to the validity of the votes cast, based on a number of issues during the election, including the incomplete materials including the absence of legal statutory documents and materials in ballot boxes, but which served as the basis of a number external actors, including Prime Ministers of CARICOM Member States rushing to condemn the legitimacy of the elected President and Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,” they reasoned.

They noted that the continued interference into the work of the Guyana Elections Commission and the Chief Elections Officer by the PPP/C serves to further delay the completion of the elections. “The continued open encouragement by the PPP/C of the involvement of external actors in the internal affairs of GECOM should cease immediately, as this has put paid to the basic principle of Guyana’s independence and sovereignty,” they said. The other signatories to the letter include, Entrepreneur, Eric Phillips, MBA, AA; Entrepreneur, Stanley Ming, Golden Arrow of Achievement; Dawn Cush; Earl George; Karen B George; Karen Lambert; and Thessa Smith.

Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e-paper_7-8-2020

…says offers to resign from CCJ board of trustee

PRIVATE sector executive, Ramesh Dookhoo, has offered to resign from the Board of Trustee of the Caribbean Court of Justice after allegations surfaced of him trying to exert pressure on the court to rule in favour of the opposition. “I have brought the ‘News’ item to the attention of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees with an offer of my resignation. Congratulations to the author of the ‘News’ item you are succeeding,” Dookhoo said in a statement on Tuesday morning.

He said the Caribbean Court of Justice Trust Fund was set up in order that the court itself can never be compromised. “I consider it an honour and a privilege to sit as a trustee on this board. The rest of the board consist of members of various Caribbean Institutions whose integrity and distinction I do not wish to compromise at this time with this ‘News’ item.”

Dookhoo added that the representatives of the institutions that make up the Board of Trustees are highly esteemed and respected professionals across the Caribbean, it is ludicrous to even accuse one of its representatives of having some kind of influence on the CCJ judges. “The Board of Trustees is responsible for the management and administration of the Trust Fund and none of its members have or would dare attempt to exercise any kind of influence over the CCJ’s judges. Further, the judges of the CCJ are professionals of the highest integrity and professionalism all of whom possess unblemished character.”

According to social media post headlined: ‘Dookhoo, Gouveia plot to influence CCJ upcoming ruling leaked,” there is an alleged plot by Bharrat Jagdeo and Gerry Gouveia to get Ramesh Dookhoo to use his position as a trustee of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to influence the upcoming ruling on the PPP’s application for leave to appeal the decision of the Guyana Court of Appeal which expected on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. The post said that reliable sources have stated that there was a meeting at Dookhoo’s house recently attended by Gerry Gouveia, Paul James, Robert Persaud, Robin Singh, and other PPP/C members; where they discussed how they will use their connections to influence the court to make a decision in favour of the PPP/C.

One official stated that a Roraima Airways flight departed Ogle on Saturday July 4 to Trinidad and Tobago; on board was a team of PPP/C officials led by Bharrat Jagdeo and Gerry Gouveia. The source confirmed that they were heading to south Trinidad with the aim of colluding with their partners and other influential figures in Trinidad, to persuade them to use their influence with the CCJ to get a favorable ruling for the PPP on Wednesday. The PPP strategy involves Ramesh Dookhoo lending his voice as a member of the board of trustees.

Dookhoo in his statement sai,d “as I usually do as the Private Sector liaison on COVID-19 I contacted Larry London, Egbert Fields and a few others regarding a Roraima Airways flight to facilitate the return to Trinidad of two Trinidadian Nationals. I have done this many times before. I communicated on the cruise ship Guyanese after I was contacted by the cruise ship company and other such repatriations.” Dookhoo said that approval was granted by those named officials and that he was not on the flight. “In fact, I spent a quiet weekend at home in D’Aguiar’s Park where I reside. The incessant rain caused my round of Golf to be cancelled on Sunday. I have noted that my home is being observed as a few weeks ago I had a gathering of a few friends which was published on Facebook as a gathering ‘to destabilise GECOM’. All my guests left after that post and whoever is trying to inflict hurt is succeeding, congratulations! By the way the gathering was to discuss some stranded Guyanese and how we can assist them financially to return to Guyana.”

Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e-paper_7-8-2020

CCJ to hand down decision today in PPP/C’s appeal case

… coalition reiterates court has no jurisdiction to determine matter

By Svetlana Marshall 

AT 15:00brs today (July 8), the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will rule on whether or not it bas jurisdiction to hear an appeal filed by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) seeking to set aside a decision of the Court of Appt.al that Guyana’s President must be elected based on the majority of valid votes cast at the General and Regional Elections held last March. 

Since the application was filed by the PPP/C’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo and Presidential Candidate, lrfaan Ali, there has been much debate on whether the Court of Appeal’s decision could be appealed on the ba­sis that the Article – Article 177 (4)- under which the decision was made, states that any ruling made there­under by the Appellate Court is final. 

Today, the CCJ will, in effect, bring that debate to a close with its decision. If it rules that it has no jurisdiction, the decision of the Court of Appeal wiII remain enforced, and the Order, which was issued in. late June by the CCJ, blocking the Guy­ana Elections Commission (GECOM) from declaring the result5 for the Elections will be lifted. ln other words, the Elections Commission will be allowed to proceed with the declaration of the Elections’ results. However, in doing so, it will be bound to adhere to the ruling of the Court of Appeal that the Pres­ident must be elected based on the majority of “valid votes” cast as mandated by Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution. 

However, if the CCJ in­dicates that it has jurisdic­tion to hear the appeal, it will then proceed to rule on the substantive matter, that is, whether the Court of Appeal’s interpretation of the Article 177 (2) (b) wa5 correct. 

By a 2-1 majority, the Court of Appeal, on .lune 22, had ordered that the words “‘mort votes are cast” in Article 177 (2) (h) be interpreted to mean “mort valid votes arc- cast.” 

LEGAL ARGUMENTS 

While the PPP/C’s lead attorney, Trinidad’s Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, has urged the court to as­sume jurisdiction, other Attorneys from the Ca­ribbean, and as far as the United Kingdom, have said that Guyana’s Constitution and the Caribbean Court of Justice Act have effectively ousted the jurisdiction of the regional Court from adjudicating on any decision made by the Guyana Court of Appeal, under Article 177 (4) of the Constitution and as such the CCJ has no jurisdiction to entertain the appeal. 

Among those lawyers are Guyana’s Attorney-General. Basil Williams; Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior Counsel Reginald Armour and John Jeremie; Antigua and Barbuda’s Queen’s Counsel, Justin Simon; Grenadian Queen’s Counsel, Dr. Francis Alexis; and Queen’s Counsel, Dr. Richard Wilson, a visiting Professor of Law at the Cov­entry University in the United Kingdom. 

In both his written and oral submissions, Senior Counsel John Jeremie, the lead attorney representing Eslyn David, the first-named respondent, argued that there is no room for an appeal. under Article 177 ( 4 ). He had explained that the relief sought in David’s Notice of Motion for the interpretation of Article 177 (2) (b) fell squarely within the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal (CoA), as provided in Article 

177(4). 

“The wording and operation of Article 177 (4) operates as a complete bar to any appeal to the CCJ. Once the CoA has exercised its jurisdiction pursuant to Arti­cle 177 ( 4 ), its decisions are final and cannot be subjected to review, except by the CoA similarly exercising powers under Article 177 (4),” the Trinidadian Senior Counsel explained. 

Article 177 { 4) of the Constitution confers on the Court of Appeal an exclusive original constitutional jurisdiction “to hear and de­termine any question as to the validity of an election of a President in so far as the question depends upon the qualification of any person for election, or the interpretation of this Constitution.” 

In representing the inter­est of Joseph Harmon, the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Agent, Senior Counsel Reginald Armour told the CCJ that in addition to Article 177 (4), the Agreement, under which it was es­tablished, and the Caribbean Court of Justice Act limit its jurisdiction. 

Am1our alluded to Article XXV (5) of the Agreement, which states: “Nothing in this Article shall apply to matters in relation to which the deci­sion of the Court of Appeal of a Contracting Party is, at the time of the entry into force of the Agreement pursuant to the Constitution or any other law of that Party, declared to be final.

Whitt Mendes, in bis submissions, agreed that the CC.I cannot hear an appeal to the Court of Appeal’s decision made un­der Article 177 (4), he has argued that the Court of Appeal did not make a decision under Article 177 (4), because it bad no jurisdiction to do so. 

AN INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION 

But Antigua and Barbuda’s Queen’s Counsel, ,Jus­tin Simon, who appeared in association with the Attorney-General, explained that the core of David’s Motion was for an interpretation of Article 177 (2) (b), which outlines tbt procedure for the election of a President. He pointed out that the Court of Appeal, in its decision, simply interpreted the words “more votes are cast” to mean “more valid votes are cast.” 

This was the specific relief which was given, be­cause there were no coercive orders made by the Court of Appeal. And in giving that interpretation, the Court of Appeal was looking at the broad meaning of the words which were used in Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act. 

It is our respectful contention, therefore, that what was sought was an interpretation of a Constitutional provision, and as such, we submit that … Article 177 ( 4) gives to tbt Court of Appeal, in no uncertain terms, the exclusive jurisdiction to hear the motion which bad been filed by the first respondent,” the Antigua and Barbuda Queen’s Counsel submitted to the court.

FAIR RULCNG

Notably, the President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders, had assured that the ruling of the regional court would  in keeping with the laws of Guyana and the submissions of the attorneys, and not the utterances of external forces. “‘You can rest assured that the bench is going to treat with this matter only on the basis of the material that you and your colleagues, those with you, those against you, those who are in this court today, on the basis of what you submit and that is what President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders 

is always done, certainly by this court. So you can rest assured that we are not going to have regard to anything which is being said outside of the court, and which does not feature as a relevant pan of these proceedings,” the 

CCJ President had assured 

during the Case Management Conference (CMC) held on June 25, 2020. 

Senior Counsel Jeremie had expressed concerns that statements issued by leaders of the Region could influence the case. In recent times, Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley and Dr Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, have come in for heavy criticisms owing to statements they made which can prejudice the case. Mottley, who has since handed the chairmanship of CARICOM to Dr. Gonsalves, had delivered sitting criticisms against the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lownefield after he had submitted his Elections Report to the Chair of the Elections Commission, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh. 

In responding to calls by the PPP/C that the Chief Elections Officer should be made to withdraw his report, the CCJ made it clear that it cannot undo what had already been done. 

we cannot undo what was done by the Chief Elections Officer,” President of the CCJ said during the Case Management Conference.

Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e-paper_7-8-2020

Dear Editor,

THE  buy nuisances formed as little so called political parties but which have been ever since exposed for what they really are, shameless surrogates and conspira­torial pathetic mouthpieces of their minder, the PPP/C, are now displaying their usefulness as ugly co-con­spirators io the grand tapestry of elect oral fraud. 

Not satisfied with their criminal role, whether as accessories to or after the fact, of what has been proven to be a massive electoral fraud carried out by the PPP/C in their strongholds, and inclusive of voter impersonation among the varied types, their minions, in tandem with a member of the PPP/C has recently filed private criminal charges against CEO of GECOM, Keith Lowenfield, alleging fraud and misconduct in public office. 

How much more bare­faced can these electoral fraudsters be, in seeking to accuse a constitutional office holder of the very charges which their fraudster-in­chief party the PPP/C, has committed, as evidenced by the fraudulent evidence found in the ballot boxes? It is difficult to compre­hend the logic behind this latest assault on the con­stitutional functions of the GECOM, except that it is the commencement of another shameless attempt of whip­ping up hysteria, using the little Ilea-beeps for creating the disingenuous effect of a massed effect. 

Now, another cubby hole political neophyte, Guyana Chronicle, July 06, “Shu­man calls for Lowenfield to be dismissed” – so badly seeking a place under the deceptive umbrella of the PPP/C, is the latest to join in the renewed assault on the GECOM, by demanding in a letter to its chair, that she terminate Mr. Lowenfield’s employment, citing the “loss of public confidence” among some nebulous but also libelous accusations, which is sure to attract subsequent suilt-in response.

It becomes even more preposterous, when among the fraudulent-to-the core accusations, is one which accuses the CEO of failing “to provide clear written instructions to the Presiding Officers on Poll­ing Day with regards to safeguarding documents.” But this accusation, without any merit, but which could have only emanated from one, whose primary aim in politics is about power, rather than what could be done for the people, was taken to another ridiculous level, with the following” lHe] willfully attempted lo disenfranchise 115,000 + voters by wanting to invalidate said number of votes, exercising authority that is not vested in him and beyond his remit in interpreting the Appeal Court’s Ruling and acting contrary to said court orders.” He went on to describe the above as “contrary to the directions of the Commission and was an act of insubordination.” 

About the safeguarding of documents: It could have only come from a similarly dishonest mind, which is in agreement with the massive fraud perpetuated on the GECOM. It cannot escape one’s intentions that what is being inferred in such a brazen lie is the claim that the CEO did not plan and execute a proper training exercise for those SENIOR POLLING DAY OFFICERS. It is a red herring that stinks to high heavens, which should be taken by such a political liar, and deposited where it was hatched: 

If it is, that this political cretin is contending that the CEO, had IQ be physically present at all those polling places on the lower East Coast where an almost 50 boxes were found without their statutory documents, so as to remind them about the need to ensure that each ballot box had to be accompanied by ALL their necessary mandatory documents. then he is wicked in his contrivance of an accusation that is without any merit, especially when it is known that all those officers mentioned for polling day duties, were trained extensively, with many oftl1em being veterans of past election exercises. And this is apart from the fact that that THEY WERE ALL GIVEN OPERATION MANUALS FOR POLLING DAY EXERCISES AS A FURTIIER GUlDANCE. And if this vile accuser, is insisting that all those ballot boxes were denuded by human error, then he is further accused of being a pernicious liar, propagating -out of his political minder’s cesspool; since throughout the electoral districts, there was found well documented evidence of statutory documents being deliberately removed, for fraudulent reasons  in PPP/C constituencies, undermining the electoral process and its integrity. 

This victim of political Munchausen, must be reminded that there has been no disenfranchisement of any voter in the manner of his very crooked accu­sation being made against Mr. Lowenfield. Hrs ac­tions have been guided by his constitutional dictm, which dictates that he pres­ents VALID VOTES ONLY. This mandate, BECAME EVEN MORE IMPERA­TIVE WHEN BOTI-1 PRES­IDENT DAVID GRANGER AND OPPOSITION LEAD­ER, BHARAT JAGDEO AGREED TO A TOTAL RECOUNT, WHICH BE­CAME EMPOWERED BY ARTICLE 162, OF THE CONSTITUTION. This fact. GECOM had been reminded of, by the Appeal Court, when it printed to the wide powers that the constitu­tional body embodied, to remedy any difficulty which may arise out of the electoral exercise. 

One is therefore certain that this political amne­siac, is well aware of the Gazetted Recount Order. Number 60 which became operationalized, with the mission of determining the CREDIBILITY OF THE VOTES CAST, AS TO THEIR FINAL VALIDITY. And with an appeal to THE COURT OF APPEAL, on the question of THE MORE VOTES CAST MOTION, WHICH RESULTED THAT IT OUGHT TO NOW BE “MORE VALID VOTES CAST’, IT MEANT THAT TIIE CEO I LAD TO SUBMIT A RE­PORT TO REFLECT TIUS FACT; AND NOT THE INJTIAL FRAUDULENT NUMERJCAL RECOUNT THAT HE HAD BEEN INJTIALLY ORDERED TO GAVE. The latter has been the criminal mantra of the Lennox Shumans and the PPP/C. IT CAN NO LONGER STAND. 

To have done otherwise meant that the CEO would have been disregarding the orders of the Appeal Court, which would have brought him into serious conflict, CONTEMPT, with its ruling, while also colliding concomitantly with his constitutional instruction of reporting on VALID VOTES, ONLY. 

These accusations from this fly-by-night political ,leader/cum PPP/C political satellite are every bit evident or his and others of similar dissolute morality, that it is quite normal for a political party and its president to be elected to government by fraudulent votes; a fact which is not permissible in accordance with the constitutional pow­ers vested in the CEO, Mr. Keith Lowenfield. 

The tactic, is now one of demonizing Mr. Lowenfeld, and the GECOM. It is a strategy that has been used continuously by the PPP/C and its despicable nuisances. It is a shameless continuation of the desper­ate bid for power. One only has to refer to the multi mill ions they have spent for the purposes of fake news, and misinformation. But the truth, no matter the numerous dark efforts to obfuscate and stifle its emergence, always rises. Keith Lowenfield’s only sin is to reveal the truth of his well put together Report on the March 2 constitutional exercise, first made known on June 14. 

To all those who now seek to besmirch his pro­fessional and constitu­tional functions, because of clearly dishonest mo­tives which impugns the meaning of democracy, and electing the executive by way of electoral trans­parency, must know that their accusations are best laid at the devious door­steps of those who are the known architects of such a disdainful plateau.

Regards

Earl Hamilton

Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e-paper_7-8-2020

Dear Editor,
WHEN Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Motcley suggested that it is “clear that there are forces” in Guyana “that do not want to see the votes recounted for whatever reason” for the 2nd March Guyana elections, everyone thought she was hinting at the Coalition government.
After the actions on the part of the opposition and their commissioners, I’m inclined to believe that PM Mottley was really talking about the PPP opposition.

How else could you explain the tactics now being employed by the PPP spokesman Mr. Nandlall? Mr. Nandlall suggests that a detailed scrutiny of the ballots will be illegal. This is after his party agreed to the recount and has been integrally involved in every detail of the recount procedures. If you can’t examine the ballots in detail, what purpose does the recount serve? If the opposition’s cries of “rigging” are not to ring hollow, then a complete audit of all votes cast is the only way to detect this “rigging.” Suppose that a ballot box shows that there are more votes in the box than are electors registered in that district, a clear attempt to “rig” would have been uncovered. How could the PPP be against this?
The PPP has also suggested that the “rigging” was done in Region Four only. This defies logic. If a party was going to rig an election, why would they confine it to a single region? Why would the margin be so close? If rigging was done, it would have occurred in all regions and not by slim margins.

The quote by Mr. Nandlall regarding the recount of ballots says it all; “You are bound to find irregularity.” Who again is trying to stall the recount?

Regards
Paul Tyndall

Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_05_07_2020

…APNU Region 3 agent discloses as coalition vote given to PPP

…as ‘dead man’ voted in Region 2

“CLEARLY there’re problems in these ballot boxes,” said APNU+AFC agent, Ganesh Mahipaul as he reported on his station during the opening day of the national recount of votes cast at the March2, 2020 General and Regional elections.

Mahipaul had exited the Arthur Chung Conference Centre building at around 13:40 hours coming from workstation five, dealing with the votes cast in Region Three. “The first ballot box we looked at was ballot box number 3046 and on the first count which was done at the place of poll in Leguan, it registered 16 votes for APNU/AFC and 194 votes for the People’s Progressive Party and three votes for the People’s Republic Party,” he said. “When we did this recount now there is a difference. APNU+AFC increased by one and that’s because one of our ballots was in the PPP set that had to be removed and go to APNU+AFC and there were two that were rejected for the PPP and that is because one of them was marked for more than one political party…and another the ballot was clearly torn.”

Mahipaul said that while these might seem to be a very small difference in ballots, should the same continue across-the-board at the 2,339 ballot boxes it could mean either 2,000 more or less vote for a political party in what has historically been a tight race between the country’s main political parties. He maintained: “I say to you, there are problem in these ballot boxes; there are discrepancies.”

IT TAKES TIME

Meanwhile, coming out of the centre at around 13:30 hours, another APNU+AFC agent, Carol Joseph, said that it took workstation number nine three hours and 20 minutes to complete the count of one ballot box.

She said that this was due to the number of queries and disagreements which arose during the process. Despite the challenges, she was optimistic that the count would move a bit faster in the latter part of the day as queries are resolved.

While persons have criticised the need for several clarifications during the process, Joseph said that she does not see this as a “waste of time”, as the long-awaited recount is crucial process which must be done carefully. “After we have waited so long, let us do something properly,” she said. “I think this will set the basis for any other elections to come in terms of ensuring that certain things are adhered to so we won’t find ourselves in a situation like this again.”

A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) party agents have called the attention of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to several cases wherein persons deceased or migrated may have voted in the 2020 elections. GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, said on Wednesday that the commission has taken note of these concerns and, providing that there is proof to support the claims, will deliberate on how these matters will be addressed.

CLAIMS WILL BE SCRUTINISED

Coming out of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) around 18:30 hours, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, representing the APNU+AFC, said that there were around 15 discrepancies found just on the first day of which the majority were dead or migrants. He said that his party was certain that these would be uncovered during the recount as their research had proven such since the conduct of elections. “Our agents came prepared to challenge several anomalies which we have the evidence to [prove],” Patterson said. “In particular, we were quite aware of persons that are deceased…and we were trying to verify whether they voted or not.”

Patterson said that it took some time for GECOM to decide the means by which the anomalies would be addressed, but the commission eventually decided that the names would be placed on record in the Observation Report.

“GECOM said that they would make a decision in the end or at some point or stage in terms of how they’re going to treat with that; we just should highlight and quantify it,” he said, noting that evidence would be key in action being taken on the cases highlighted.

Meanwhile, Carol Joseph also added that when it comes to proof, the coalition party is ready to support the claims it has made. “We have proof, we’re not only saying these things you know…every objection that we have made there, when called upon we’ll prove it,” Joseph said.

‘DEAD MAN’ VOTED

Minister within the Ministry of the Presidency with responsibility for Youth Affairs, Simona Broomes, also told media operatives that anomalies were detected in the Region Two ballots being counted at workstation four. That same afternoon, a photograph was circulated on social media of a deceased man, Emanuel Williams, who allegedly somehow still voted at a polling station at Karawab Primary School.

Later, almost at the end of the day, Commissioner Vincent Alexander said that such cases are difficult because while someone by name would have died, the question of how the commission identifies the said person’s vote is the question. “At the end of the day, one would have to look at the magnitude of the occurrence and the way in which that magnitude can affect the results,” he said.

Ward also added later in the day: “For us at GECOM, we have not sought any authenticity as it relates to that information but I’m sure, now that it’s in the public domain, it is something that the commission will have to deliberate on and provide some guidance going forward.

Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_05_07_2020

…some coalition agents describe first day of recount

By Gabriella Chapman
THE national recount of the March 2, 2020 elections commenced on Wednesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Center (ACCC), and despite the few glitches that were had at the start of the day, agents of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition said they are pleased with the process thus far.

Speaking with the media on the lawns of ACCC, Minister of Youth Affairs, Simona Broomes, said they had a late start due to the delay in accessing the containers, but after it started it was a smooth run. “I moved around the building but most of the time I’ve been in one area, dealing with one district. I think in my district for this morning I would have noticed anomalies and I don’t think it is too big to be solved, I’ve registered the concerns, following the protocol. And at the end of it, it will go through the channels that it has to go through… I wouldn’t like to say what it is, but other than that, for my station, which is Region Two, I think things are moving pretty smooth,” Broomes said.

She said that counting votes is a timely process “and of course, in the best interest of all, we’re looking for credible results so I am working and I think all of us should work with GECOM staff so that they go through what they have to go through. I think they’re doing their best, we had no hassle in there. They’re projecting the ballot paper for all to see, they have a screen and everything. And at the end of the first box, they did the report and all of us signed as satisfied with what is happening.”

Broomes said at this point it is hard to ascertain how long the recount process will actually take, but she noted that after the first day, they might get a better feel.

TENSION
Meanwhile, Coretha McDonald said at her station, which held the ballot boxes for Region Three, there was much tension as was evident in the body language of the other party representatives, but that did not hinder the flow of the process.

“Region three, started off very tense but as we progressed, the tension eventually simmered down… There was no confrontation, but body language spoke a lot. I guess persons are all there representing their parties and they’re coming there to compete, and everybody wants his/her party to lead and because of all the tension we would have had before and all the ‘flare and the flur’ and the things you saw on Facebook and at press conferences, I think that is what kind of hyped up some party supporters, so when they came here, they just looked at you with daring and pointed eyes rather than good morning and how are you and that kind of thing you usually expect,” McDonald said.

She noted that her station had two slight issues, but they were resolved speedily.

“We had two little minor issues that were quickly resolved. One was rather than the ‘x’ marked in the box, it was marked on the name of the party, we queried and that query was verified and the vote was counted as being valid. We had another one where instead of an ‘x’, it just had a stroke there. That was also queried and the vote was deemed valid. Other than that, the process went smoothly, persons accepted the counts as they are.

As a matter of fact, we had counting being done three times just to verify that we all have the same numbers that are there. So for me, so far so good and I’m looking forward to what will happen for the rest of the week. We looked at the outlying areas and we have not yet found major issues in those areas. But I’m hoping that coming down to the middle area, we would have smooth transition, smooth process and whatever issue arises, we will be able to have them being resolved,” McDonald outlined.

Speaking with the media too, was Ryan Belgrave who echoed similar sentiments. He said that the process was as expected, and everyone present at his station, which was District Four, signed off in agreement that the numbers were accurate.

“As was promised, we had an audit of the ballot boxes. We looked at the folders and envelopes that were placed in each box. We also looked at the votes that were cast by the respective parties, the rejected ballots, we were able to examine and see the ballots on the screen to be certain that the votes that were announced were what was there, and those sorts of things. For the room that I was in, I had no serious concerns. We had the party representatives, OAS and a local observer, and everyone signed off,” Belgrave said.

The process continues today, as the country awaits the progress of the national recount and the eventual declaration of the winning party and President of the country.

Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_05_07_2020

…claims he walked off job, left them at the GECOM Mabaruma Office

THE absence of the poll books from the records for District One has stalled the verification process of the recount of the votes cast in that region at the March 2, 2020 regional and general elections.

Initial reports were that the books were in the possession of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Returning Officer for Region One, Trevor Harris. But Harris has claimed that he left the books in the GECOM office at Mabaruma and that he was no longer on the job.

The book details the voting process, the number of used and spoilt ballots, signatures of counting and polling agents as well as those of the presiding officer, ballot clerks among other polling staff. The book also details the time process recorded throughout elections day at the polling station. It also includes details on affidavits of identity of persons accompanying a voter to the polling station to assist him/her in the voting process.

Harris’ phone went to voice mail when attempts were made by the Guyana Chronicle to contact him. He however, told another section of the media, earlier on Wednesday, that he is no longer on the job and declined to say when he parted with the commission. The official noted that the books in question are at GECOM’s Mabaruma office, and, on Wednesday, the commission was making arrangements to retrieve the documents from the North West District region.

Books located

“We have since made arrangements to have those poll books be transported to Georgetown from Region One, and we hope that they will get here by tomorrow or by Friday when there is a flight out from that area,” GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward told reporters while noting that already one has been reported missing.

Ward noted that as a result of the absence of the poll books, party agents objected to the continuation of that process with respect to the tabulation of votes for District One. The Poll Books, she said, contain critical information about what unfolded on Elections Day within the polling stations. “The poll books provide the notes of the Presiding Officers as to what would have transpired during the electoral process on Elections Day.

For example, if persons voted with certificates of employment, the number of persons that voted with certificates of employment, persons who voted by proxy, the poll books give those details and all of the issues that may have been addressed at the polling station, it is essentially the log book of the day’s activities,” the PRO explained.

Investigation

While noting that she was unaware of the reason behind the RO’s failure to include the Poll Books in the records, Ward said that the Elections Commission will be launching an investigation into the matter.

Elections Commissioner Vincent Alexander also took note of the absence of the poll books. “Those books are important, because, for example, there were instances where names were inserted on the voters’ list,” Alexander said while explaining that the poll books would provide explanations on the reason behind the insertions. One such reason, he said, is the use of certificates of employment by persons whose names were not on the list but were given the opportunity to vote by virtue of the fact that they were working there at the moment.

“That Certificate of Employment is in the Poll Book and the Poll Book should have been in the box, and so there are still some queries there about the names because the validation has not been completed,” the Elections Commissioner said. He is hopeful that the poll books will arrive on time so as not to affect the process.

Corrupt practices

Sources within the APNU+AFC told the Guyana Chronicle that this development speaks to corrupt practices undertaken by persons in District One as regards the credibility of the process. It was noted that the books in question are priority documents and are supposed to be in envelopes or packages submitted by the RO to GECOM. It is unclear why Harris paid scant regard to the submission of the documents.

On Wednesday morning, when the containers for the ballots for District One were opened, some of the containers were found with water inside. It is unclear if this compromised the counting of ballots in those containers. The national recount commenced after a delayed start on Wednesday which centered on security arrangements as well as the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) being unable to find the keys to its locks on several containers containing the ballots.

Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_05_07_2020

—- refers to convention centre with hundreds as ‘low-risk environment’

EVEN before the commencement of the national recount of votes cast in the 2020 General and Regional Elections on Wednesday, opposition-nominated Commissioner Robeson Benn took issue with the social-distancing measures in place at the recount centre.

The recount is taking place at the at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) and special guidelines have been put in place by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ensure that persons participating are protected from the deadly coronavirus disease, 2019 (COVID-19).

International best practices for COVID-19 require persons to stay at least six feet (2 metres) apart; wear masks and practise regular sanitisation.

Back in April, the secretariat conducted a training session with its staff on procedures that would be employed in keeping with recommendations of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) to prevent the spread of the virus, even as the importance of the recount is recognised.

However, in a letter to the media on the morning of the first day, Benn accused GECOM of “perverse use” of the guidelines.

“Based on observations of the layouts and footprints of counting stations at the convention centre, the Guyana Elections Commission appears to be making maximum perverse use of the COVID-19 situation to keep stakeholders and observers remote from satisfactory direct observation and verification of the recount process for ballot boxes,” he said.

Benn claimed that the seating arrangement between stakeholders and observers is some 15 feet apart and that if someone were to sit at the last row of seats in the ACCC dome, they would be 40 feet away from the recount process.

The seating in the dome-like structure is fixed to the facility and cannot be moved. Added to this, the elections commission – inclusive of Benn— the CARICOM team and representatives of the NCTF had visited the centre twice and weeks in advance to determine that the facility met their satisfaction. It was this collective agreement of all involved that led to the use of the ACCC as the venue.

Nonetheless, Benn stated: “GECOM utilising the misguided, or worse malicious, guidance from the Ministry of Public Health, is bent on enforcing a six-foot social distance requirement in a seating arrangement for stakeholders and observers.”

He referred to the environment of hundreds of individuals as “a low-risk environment.”

Benn also found fault with the facilities — previously agreed upon — or the live-streaming of the process, which would result in the capturing and broadcasting of the process.

“The presence of the screen to project the packages, ballots and other materials does not really help because the fixed camera capture is relatively small to ascertain the true condition of packages, ballots and the ultimate storage or fate of all items received and possessed[sic],” he said.

The commissioner added that one would have to “continuously alter views” to correct the matter and to avoid possible claims of “switching or insertions.” This is even as all persons entering the ACCC had their handbags checked by Guyana Police Force (GPF) officials at the gate and, at any given time, there are GECOM staff, representatives of political parties and international and local observers present at all work stations.

Although Benn made these complaints, summing up the day when he came out of the centre around 18:00hrs, PPP/C executive member, Anil Nandall stated that he hadn’t witnessed any such issues with social distancing.

He said: “I haven’t heard any complaint being made or seen any evidence that there is a problem with social distancing. I didn’t detect that at all; that was not one of the issues which arose.”

Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_05_07_2020

Dear Editor
I AM exercising my right to respond to this ongoing series of Frederick Kissoon who launched an attack on me. Reference is made to his column in Kaieteur News, “Jagdeo’s libel, Nigel Hughes, my research, my life” (6th May 2020). Let me advise Kissoon, that whereas he said he has no respect for me “as a person and a trade unionist,” this would be hard for him to do. He has no respect for himself as a person and the academic community with whom he associates and therefore can have no respect for any other. He doesn’t know what constitutes respect.

When it comes to respect, the feeling is mutual with my fellow pensioner. He is not upright and any little respect I had for him I lost it a long time. He was tolerated because our paths crossed on common issues, even though I came to realise he is a bully, disrespectful and untrustworthy. Basically, he lives in a crab-hole, that is where his mind dwells.,
I had respected him as an intellectual until I realised he is an intellectuasl non-entity, a cheat, a plagiarist, a self-admitted thief of academic materials. Which proper so-called champion of the people would steal academic materials, depriving the less fortunate who would have been relying on said materials for their academic advancement? Kissoon is selfish and self-absorbed.

He had no shame telling this nation that he stole text books and felt it was ok to so do, showing no regret, no remorse. He has no shame telling this nation GECOM Chairperson Justice Claudette Singh volunteered to and paid his “whopping grocery bill,” but he continues to attack her integrity even as she engages in efforts to facilitate a recount to resolve the political impasse. He has said, “Since March 4, Singh has destroyed her legal legacy and her national credibility” (25th March, 2020- Claudette Singh paid for my groceries and I was convinced).

The credibility expert of zero credibility knows who has no credibility. His credibility was destroyed long ago and he is not qualified to judge people in the way he wants to do. In some societies Kissoon would be living in perpetual shame for his many acts of impropriety. In our society he is allowed to shout at the top of his voice, passing judgment on people.
This is the man who was issued a grant by the University of Guyana (UG) to conduct research, failed to do so, and refused to return that funding. Whereas he claimed that he did not lose his job at UG, he does not acknowledge the intervention that caused him to be retained in spite of this misconduct.

I am too decent for him and knew it all along. In his usual style he lies again. I may not know the day-to-day operations of UG or other institutions, but when it comes to industrial relations I am well versed. His services at UG were not terminated due to labour’s representation on the council. I was the representative. The management oversight of due process, which yours truly pointed out, caused the council not to recommend the severing of his service. His hide was saved by the UG upholding time-honoured principles.

We must not buy the nonsensical argument that Freddie cannot reveal the conditions of the so-called non-disclosure agreement he signed with Bharrat Jagdeo that caused the libel suit brought by the latter to be dropped. What does he have to hide, because evidently Jagdeo was the one who had brought the lawsuit? What did he sign to get Jagdeo to withdraw the lawsuit? Let him tell this nation what is the quid pro quo. He is afraid to do so because he is beholden to Jagdeo.

Freddie is not a confidential person. My grandmother used to call his personality type Lickmouth Lou. Even when people talk to him in private he puts it out in public, but he wants to keep his secret when he can’t keep other people’s issues secret. He has no secret for me. I never trusted him and anything I said to him in private I had no problem with him coming to the public with. Readers of his column could recall the numerous times personal conversations people shared with him, he placed in the public domain.

Finally, let me say to Freddie, there is no need for me to “paint [his] character with mud,” he lives in a crab-hole, so mud is all he knows. There is no need to sling mud on him. As to the recent industrial impasse at UG, it is a matter of public record, which he shared, of the role he played.

Regards
Lincoln Lewis

Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_05_07_2020