THE Carter Center said that it is “deeply disappointed” in being excluded from Guyana’s national recount process and believes that “genuine commitment to transparency” is hampered by its absence.

The centre said that while it acknowledges the value of CARICOM and other observers to the process, it feels as if its work, as an accredited observer, has been stymied due to its re-entry restriction to the country.

“The centre acknowledges the important role being played during the recount by the three-person CARICOM team, as well as that of Guyanese national observers, political party scrutineers, the Organisation of American States, and the Commonwealth’s technical adviser, all of whom also are accredited by GECOM.

While noting the positive contribution that each of these actors is making to foster transparency, the centre is disappointed that the Government of Guyana chose not to demonstrate a genuine commitment to transparency by ensuring that all duly-accredited organisations, including The Carter Center, be allowed to conduct their work,” the centre stated.

It had plans of fielding a two-member team to the country compared to its over 40-member team present on elections day. Representation was made on their behalf by United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch.

Lynch had subsequently stated on a radio programme 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, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings, on the government’s behalf, denied the re-entry of the centre citing CARICOM as “the most legitimate interlocutors in the Guyana situation” and the COVID-19 pandemic. In its statement, the Carter Center said that that it fully respects Guyana’s national sovereignty and its efforts to strictly implement its COVID-19 emergency measures as a matter of utmost urgency.

It stated that its team members were willing to abide by all of the government’s COVID-19 protocols such as negative tests for COVID-19 on a WHO-certified polymer chain reaction test in advance of travel. Moving forward, the centre hopes the national recount process will maintain its credibility and transparency and will provide for public confidence and public acceptance of the results.

“The center is hopeful that the recount and tabulation process currently underway will be completed with full transparency so that it yields a result that can be recognised as credible and reflecting the will of the people as expressed on March 2,” it stated. “The centre’s overall assessment of Guyana’s electoral process cannot be complete until the votes cast on March 2 have been counted, tabulated, and announced – and any subsequent dispute-resolution process completed. An accurate and honest counting of votes is essential to ensuring that the election reflects the will of the people.”

To date, the center has issued public statements with preliminary findings of the electoral process through election day and the first few days post-election. It provided a recap of this in its statement noting that preparations for elections day and voting procedures on election day went smoothly and according to national laws and international standards for democratic elections. It noted a subsequent lack of transparency in the tabulation of Region Four Statements of Poll (SoPs) and the eventual decision for a national recount.

Speaking to post-recount, it urged the country’s main political parties to put an end to Guyana’s “winner-takes-all system” through national reconciliation and constitutional reforms. “The Carter Center was honored to be invited by the government to provide a neutral and independent assessment of Guyana’s electoral process,” it stated. “The Carter Center remains committed to its mandate to observe Guyana’s electoral process and extends its hope that Guyanese can work together in the days ahead to build a future that benefits all citizens.”