Dear Editor,

PERMIT me to congratulate Dr Henry Jeffrey on his excellent column Future Notes article captioned, “ Votes in the boxes,” published in the Stabroek News, Wednesday, June 10, 2020 edition.

Mr Jeffrey’s article is to date, in my opinion,  the most informative and robust contribution addressing the pertinent issue of jurisprudence as it relates to irregularities, discrepancies and fraud in elections. His advocacy is enlightenment in the context of challenges coming out of the elections and the recount process. More specifically, the issue of the weight given to above-mentioned matters, when a court of law is seeking to determine  credibility of the elections results.

He cited two contending views: (1) whether the totality of irregularities/discrepancies etc, is sufficient to alter the logic of the vote (quantitative principle) and (2) that discrepancies and irregularities even when it would not alter the vote, once proven, nullify the results (qualitative principle). Dr Jeffrey premised his argument on the qualitative principle: he stated that GECOM must address the anomalies to decide on the credibility of the elections. This qualitative principle is evolving and gaining growing acceptance in jurisprudence around the world.

His political experience in  national politics, expertise and his academic training allow him to produce a politically balanced discourse on the electoral crisis and the recount process that was well thought out and supported by appropriate authorities.

Editor, I wish to add my support to this patriotic endeavour and to recommend Jeffrey’s column to your readership and more particularly,to our national decision-makers. Well done Dr Henry Jeffrey.

Regards
Tacuma Ogunseye