….Gov’t tells US Ambassador as it reentry to Carter Center, IRI for recount exercise
….urged that its COVID-19 measures be respected

THE Government of Guyana has decided not to accept a late re-entry of The Carter Center and the International Republic Institute (IRI) into Guyana to observe the ongoing national recount process, on the basis of the sufficient presence of CARICOM as “the most legitimate interlocutors in the Guyana situation” and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was conveyed to United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings, by way of letter, on Friday, following a previous request for the entry of the international observer group.

Earlier on Friday, in an interview with the 94.1 FM’s Jumpstart Morning Show, the U.S. Ambassador had stated that she believes “additional credibility” is needed in Guyana’s national recount process, in the form of The Carter Center, so that Guyanese can have “complete confidence” that their elections were free, fair and credible.

However, the Foreign Affairs Minister wrote back stating: “Owing to the Public Health situation which arose as a consequence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and the series of Emergency Measures that were promulgated since 16th March 2020, including the imposition of a curfew and the closure of its international airports, it may not be possible for The Carter Center and the IRI Advisor to participate in the overseeing of the recount of the votes cast on 2nd March 2020 General and Regional Elections which, as you are aware, already commenced.”

Furthermore, Dr. Cummings said that the government of Guyana requests that the legitimate decisions taken with regards to its Emergency COVID-19 Measures and the role of CARICOM in the national recount be respected.

“I take this opportunity to inform you and to iterate that: The Caribbean Community remains “…the most legitimate interlocutors in the Guyana situation” and that Guyana, equally, is confident in the legitimacy, credibility and competence of the CARICOM Team to perform its task,” the Foreign Affairs Minister stated.

In a message to the Organisation of American States (OAS) on Wednesday, CARICOM had established itself as “the most legitimate interlocutors” in Guyana’s national recount process reporting that it has been fruitful thus far.

This message was shared by Permanent Representative of Barbados to the OAS, Ambassador Noel Lynch, on behalf of the CARICOM Group, during a meeting of the OAS Permanent Council.

Lynch said that CARICOM — of which Guyana is a valuable Member —- is more than a group of countries but a Community which values democracy and therefore takes its scrutineering role in Guyana’s recount “extremely seriously”.

“CARICOM countries are not merely a group of countries held together by rules; the majority of them are held together by values rooted in centuries of history and fraternity, and in a bitter struggle for their peoples’ rights, including the right to elect governments freely and fairly in a democratic process. If democracy fails in any CARICOM country, it fails in the larger Community. If it is imperiled in any part of our Community, it is imperiled everywhere in it. As an institution, CARICOM cannot allow this to happen in any member state,” Lynch stated, adding:

“…just as democracy matters to the people of Guyana, so it matters to the Caribbean Community of which the nation of Guyana is a valued member. That is why we of CARICOM regard ourselves as the most legitimate interlocutors in the Guyana situation.”

The CARICOM scrutinizing team arrived in Guyana on May 1 and includes Senior Lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Cynthia Barrow-Giles; Commissioner of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission, John Jarvis; and Supervisor of St Vincent Electoral Commission, Sylvester King.

They receive support from the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown and are guided by the intent of CARICOM Chair, Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, to see the recount process be conducted in the spirit of transparency.

Following the process, the Scrutinising Team will submit a report to the Commission, inclusive of its observations, recommendations and conclusions. With the team’s presence, the recount process has thus far been conducted smoothly with no breakdown in the collective process.