Dear Editor,
AS the Caribbean Team invited to supervise a national recount departed these shores on May 17, 2020, Prime Minster Mottley remarked, “It is clear that there are forces” (in Guyana) that do not want to see the votes recounted, for whatever reason.”

Prime Minister Mottley, who is also the current Chairwoman of the CARICOM was invited to Guyana after President Granger proposed the idea of a national recount of votes, a gesture that was agreed to in principle by Bharrat Jagdeo, Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party.  A CARICOM Team was assembled, and made their way to Guyana on the invitation of GECOM on March 15, 2020.  An injunction seeking to have the national recount “supervised” by CARICOM was presented to the High Court.  The injunction was carried by the High Court on March 17, 2020. The ruling noted, inter alia, that GECOM is constitutionally mandated to supervise a national recount, and manage the electoral system of Guyana. No other entity, agency or individual can perform the constitutional responsibilities of GECOM.

On March 15, 2020, Mr. Gerry Gouveia, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission was seen in a picture with Prime Minster Mottley that was circulating on social media. The text above the image showed that Roraima’s ground-handling crew facilitated the arrival of the CARICOM Team.  The text also showed Mr. Gouveia calling for a national recount; that is, all 10 electoral districts.

On April 6, 2020, Mr. Gouveia, through the media, stated that a national recount would be a waste of time.  This is after said recount was agreed to by the GECOM, the APNU+AFC ‘Coalition’ and the PPP/C and CARICOM in the first instance. In the second instance, the Commissioners and Chairwoman of GECOM agreed to proceed with a recount.

It begs the question, then: What are the Chairman of the PSC and the PPP/C afraid of and hiding, so much so that both have publicly contradicted themselves and placed the members of PSC in a politically precarious situation?

Yours,
R. Chung-A-On