– says elections stalemate in Guyana brings Region “great sadness”
– urges political maturity

CHAIRMAN of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has expressed concern, on behalf of the Region, that some 115,000 votes were invalidated by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, and as such, were not included in his report to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Tuesday.

“…we must ask on what grounds and by what form of executive fiat, does the Chief Elections Officer determine that he should invalidate one vote, far less over 115,000 votes, when the votes were already certified as valid by the officers of the Guyana Elections Commission in the presence of the said political parties,” Mottley questioned on Wednesday.

At the time, the Barbadian Prime Minister was delivering a statement to the Region, and more so Guyana, in her capacity as Chairman of CARICOM. According to her, Guyana’s prolonged electoral process is not only unbecoming of the political parties involved but portrays the entire Region in a bad light.

As such, she called on political parties that believe that there is evidence of fraudulent or improper conduct during the elections to take the route of an elections petition.

The CARICOM Chair reminded that the CARICOM Scrutinising Team which observed Guyana’s national recount process travelled to Guyana despite the COVID-19 pandemic and concluded that the will of the Guyanese people was expressed on March 2nd and is reflected in the physical recount.

Mottley therefore stated: “We must remind all that if there is any evidence of fraudulent or improper conduct, then there is a clear and well-accepted route to deal with these matters. It is through an election petition to an election court. Any attempt to provide numbers different from those certified by the staff of the Guyana Elections Commission has left many in shock and wondering what next will happen to frustrate the will of the Guyanese people.”

She further highlighted that over 100 days have passed since Guyanese took to the polls and many in the Region are observing with “great sadness” what has been transpiring in Guyana.

She said that, from the very beginning, CARICOM has made it clear that every vote must count and every vote must be made to count in a fair and transparent way.

She also reminded that four Prime Ministers from the Region accompanied her to Guyana, shortly after the elections, to talk to both sides and to urge patience, especially after the loss of one life.

However, Mottley said that the Region has observed the actions of political parties involved in Guyana’s elections and do not believe that they are acting in the best interest of the people.

“Regrettably, we have seen a level of gamesmanship that has left much to be desired and has definitely not portrayed our Caribbean region in the best light. This is definitely not our finest hour and we must not shy away from that reality,” she said, later adding:

“The role and focus of political parties must be useful and not obstructive in embracing and promoting the clear and expressed will of the people. And when we confuse and frustrate that will is when we begin to sow the very seeds of discord and acrimony that we are sworn to dissuade and discourage.”

Mottley nonetheless assured the public that CARICOM remains committed to the people of Guyana and remains resolute that the report of its observer mission was very clear in its conclusions.

She thanked the Guyanese people for their patience and further urged that they be committed to the fact that no electoral process can replace the life of anyone and, therefore, there must be room for all, regardless of who wins and who loses.