Dear Editor,
OUR organisations listed below call on all Guyanese to remain faithful to the original intention of the recount, namely, that the verdict of the CARICOM Observer Team would be the determining factor in accepting the results of the March 2 elections. Now that their verdict has been rendered, to the effect that the re-count process was of an acceptable standard, we look forward to the democratic process being taken to its conclusion in Guyana in a spirit of patriotism and wisdom.

We would remind the Guyanese and the regional and international community of the long trauma that the Guyanese people have gone through since the No-Confidence vote of December 2018, the ensuing judicial, electoral, counting and recounting processes, mobilization and manifestations on the ground, accusations in a heated atmosphere, and the overall sense of insecurity of the Guyanese population. That insecurity has been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is a strong wish on the part of Guyanese of all persuasions, especially young people, for an end to the divisiveness that inevitably accompanies electoral contests, and for the country and its peoples to move forward to the implementation of a programme which places the onus on peace, democracy, development, justice, fair governance, respect for human rights, and equitable life chances for everyone.
The implacable resistance by both major parties to the idea that they had lost the March 2 elections, led to leaders of both major parties agreeing to a CARICOM Team of Observers to monitor a re-count of all the votes. By implication, the verdict of the CARICOM team would be accepted by all contesting parties, notwithstanding the legal rights of GECOM. In their wisdom, and despite the enormously stressful atmosphere, the CARICOM Team remained silent and above the fray, while domestic and international observers, including CARICOM leaders and party activists muddied the waters with accusations on a daily basis during the re-count.

Furthermore, our organisations strongly encourage all political parties to use the occasion of the announcement of the results of the elections to pledge for the immediate commencement of a process leading to inclusive governance, beginning and culminating in new constitutional arrangements for shared governance before the next general elections. We finally appeal for calm, mutual respect, tolerance and protection of the inherent dignity and rights of all Guyanese.

Regards,
Policy Forum Guyana (PFG)
East Coast Clean-Up Committee (ECD7)
Guyana Environment Institute (GEI)
Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA)
Guyana Society for the Blind (GSB)
Guyana Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP)
Red Thread
Rights of Children (ROC)
Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI)