NOTWITHSTANDING Sunday’s court ruling in relation to the role of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in supervising a recount of the ballots cast in the March 2, 2020 regional and general elections, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago says the regional body is ready to assist in the process, once called upon.
Rowley, along with chair of CARICOM, Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Ministers Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, and Keith Mitchell of Grenada, visited Guyana several days after the March 2, 2020 elections, with the aim of assisting at the arrival at a resolution to the impasse that resulted from the polls.
Thereafter, an agreement was signed by President David Granger and Opposition Leader as well as CARICOM Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque for a recount of the ballots cast at the polls. A technical team from CARICOM arrived to supervise the process; however, based on legal advice the team’s visit was cut-short. In addition, the process was hampered by an injunction which was filed in the courts, blocking the recount.
Rowley told the Trinidad media, on Monday, that in the agreement signed between Jagdeo and President Granger and the Secretary General of CARICOM, there was “opportunity for misrepresentation” and according to him, persons seized that opportunity.
Rowley said that the wording of the document speaks “loosely” about CARICOM supervising the recount process. He said in the second-to-last paragraph of the document, it says that the role of the high-level team that the two leaders requested to visit Guyana would be to supervise the recount under the auspices of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and would not engage themselves in the actual counting of ballots. Their presence was to ensure that the recount is done in a free, fair and transparent manner.
“It specifically said that CARICOM would not engage themselves in the actual counting of ballots,” he said, noting that because the word “supervise” was used in the document, while in the court it was argued that CARICOM had acted illegally.
He said CARICOM is looking on and will await the outcome of any decision the electoral body here makes. He said that if the authorities here request assistance from CARICOM, that presence should be provided and he noted that it would be the same technical team which was here earlier in March.
He said he has not heard any request for any CARICOM’s presence, as he reiterated that the team will in no way interfere with the counting of ballots.
The results of the elections have been hooked-up in the courts with a ruling by the Court of Appeal on Sunday, placing CARICOM’s role on the back-burner.
“Any arrangement or agreement to relinquish supervision of any aspect of the elections, whether the recount or any other aspect – any arrangement to relinquish that supervision and authority – would be an unlawful arrangement. GECOM must at all times remain the body constitutionally mandated to supervise [elections],” Justice of Appeal Dawn Gregory said as she handed down the ruling on Sunday in the in the case brought by Ulita Moore, challenging the decision of GECOM to conduct a national recount under the supervision of the CARICOM.
GECOM has made a decision for a recount of the ballots cast in all 10 administrative regions, in a chronological order. Prior to the departure of the high-level CARICOM team, GECOM commissioner, Vincent Alexander, had noted that the team had not given up on the process and was willing to return if called up. GECOM is set to iron out the modalities relevant to the recount process.
