May 09, 2020 News
Minister of Public Security and Second Vice-President Khemraj Ramjattan, says that the responsibility for approval of the Carter Center’s observers returning to Guyana is above the level of the National Covid-19 Task Force with responsibility falling to the Office of President David Granger.
The Carter Center through the US Embassy had put in a request for flight into Guyana on May 4 to bring accredited observers for the National Recount which began on Wednesday, but approval was not granted with any reasoning for no-approval being offered.
The Embassy mentioned that it sent a Diplomatic Note to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority and it was accompanied by a request to advance the issue to the COVID-19 Task Force.
Speaking to journalist outside the Arthur Chung Conference Centre where the recount is currently taking place, Ramjattan noted that “As far as I am aware, there was a request, not to the Task Force but to the President.”
The coalition Prime Ministerial Candidate, could not ascertain why the accredited observer mission was barred from returning to observe the recount of the March 2, 2020 polls.
“I understand that there was a ruling in relation to flights coming into Guyana then there was an IRI issue. That is above me right now,” Ramjattan said.
There have been repeated calls for the Carter Center Observer Mission to be present for the ongoing recount process by diplomats from the ABCE countries along with local observers in Guyana.
Caption: From left: Carter Center team member, Carlos Valenzuela; Former Prime Minister of Senegal and Co-leader of the Carter Center team, Dr. Aminata Touré; Chair of the Carter Center’s Board of Trustees, Jason Carter, Carter Center team member, Brett. (Carter)