…coalition says GECOM can’t turn blind eye to claims of fraud
The Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, in submitting his Report on the National Recount, not only complied with the Order, that triggered the process, but the Constitution of Guyana and the Representation of the People Act, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU+AFC) said as it brushed aside contentions by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) that the CEO violated the Order, when he pronounced on the credibility of the General and Regional Elections.
In his Observation Reports to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Lowenfield said due to the anomalies and instances of voter impersonation cited during the recount process, the General and Regional Elections held on March 2, undoubtedly, did not satisfy the criteria of impartiality, fairness and compliance with the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act. As a result, he said it cannot be ascertained that the results of the Electoral Districts meet the standard of fair and credible elections.
The CEO’s assessment of the electoral process did not sit well with the PPP/C. The party, in accusing the CEO of violating the Order, said he has no power or authority or any mandate to offer a view, opinion or judgement of any type. “In a clear and blatant violation of the Order, Lowenfield arrogated unto himself the role of an investigator, Judge and executioner and made conclusive findings, in respect of the wild, reckless and baseless allegations made by APNU+AFC and rendered a judgement on them…,” the PPP/C contended as it launched an attack on the CEO.
In a separate statement, the Private Sector Commission (PSC), an accredited Elections Observer, expressed satisfaction with the electoral process, inclusive of the recount. Notwithstanding the mountain of irregularities and alleged cases of voter impersonation, the PSC said the recount process produced an entirely credible tabulation of the results of the General and Regional Elections.
“The Private Sector Commission is, therefore, appalled that the Chief Elections Officer of GECOM should submit a Report to the Chairman of the Elections Commission that from “the information furnished from the Recount, it cannot be ascertained that the results …meet the standard of fair and credible elections,” the PSC said.
But the APNU+AFC, in a separate statement, said the CEO’s Report was submitted in accordance with the Order, and painted a vivid picture of the unlawful acts that were committed on Elections Day, even as it called out the PPP/C for seeking to misinform the people of Guyana and the Diplomatic Corps inclusive of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
“The Representation of the People Act is pellucidly clear in PART X1, which addresses the Ascertainment of Election Results. Additionally, in Article 96 of the Constitution, the CEO is empowered to” calculate the total valid votes of electors cast and thereupon ascertain the results”. This therefore means to discover with certainty as through examination or experimentation. This is what was done,” the APNU+AFC said.
The ruling coalition used the opportunity to underscore the importance of establishing credibility in an electoral process in arriving at the valid votes cast.
“It is unfortunate that the PPP seeks to malign the CEO Mr. Lowenfield who has acted with the ambit of the Law and is in strict compliance with the Gazetted order,” the APNU+AFC said as it condemned PPP/C for its attacks on the CEO.
The PPP/C’s remarks, the Coalition said, denigrates the work of the CEO and his staff together with everyone else, who contributed to the recount process, in GECOM’s quest to establish credibility. “It is noteworthy that the CEO’s report indeed has considered the fraudulent discoveries by our Counting Agents during the just concluded Recount process, which was agreed to by both the PPP and the APNU/AFC Coalition,” it noted while calling on Guyanese to allow the recount process to continue uninterrupted.
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e-paper_6-14-2020