THE U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has urged that the results of the recount of the March2, 2020 elections be declared, ignoring a Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) order that stays the hands of the authorities here.

Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee respectively; Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues, on Friday released a statement encouraging Guyanese authorities to begin a democratic transition of power that reflects the results of the March 2 General and Regional Elections: “Nearly four months since their national election, the Guyanese people are still waiting for an official result following the general and regional elections in their nation. This is unacceptable. We share in the frustration expressed by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organisation of American States (OAS), and other international stakeholders, and call on the Guyanese authorities to issue an official election declaration that reflects the results of the March 2 election which were confirmed in the official recount by CARICOM’s observer mission.

“Recent reports suggest questionable manoeuvers by interested parties designed to continue forestalling a final declaration of results, which members of the press say indicates a defeat for the incumbent government. President Granger should honour the will of the Guyanese people and concede. We extend our support and solidarity to the people of Guyana, who have borne more than their fair share of patience during this process. For their sake, the future of democracy and the rule of law in our hemisphere, the ongoing uncertainty and gamesmanship must end.” On May 12, Risch, Menendez, Rubio, and Cardin led several colleagues in penning a letter to President Granger, encouraging a free, fair, and transparent recount of the presidential election.
On Thursday, President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Justice Adrian Saunders was forced to give assurances that the regional Court’s decision in the case challenging the ruling of the Court of Appeal that the election of a President should be based on “valid votes” will be in keeping with the laws of Guyana and the submissions of the attorneys, and not the utterances of external forces.

During a virtual Case Management Conference (CMC) on Thursday for the case filed by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo, and its Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali against North Sophia voter Eslyn David, and the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield and others, Trinidad’s Senior Counsel, John Jeremie expressed concerns that statements issued by leaders of the Region could influence the case. Jeremie, who is part of a battery of lawyers representing David, said: “Statements are being made by persons outside of this court with considerable influence in the region, which impact on the decision of the Court of Appeal, and which have the potential to impact on the decision of the Court.” Dubbing the statements expressed by the Region’s Leaders as “unfortunate,” Jeremie reminded that the case is of utmost importance to the people of Guyana.

In recent times, Chairman of CARICOM and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, and incoming CARICOM Chair Dr Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines have come in for heavy criticisms owing to statements they made which can prejudice the case. Mottley, as recent as Wednesday delivered stinging criticisms against the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lownefield, and sought to direct that GECOM use invalid votes to declare the March 2, 2020 Elections.

In response, Justice Saunders offered his assurance. “You can rest assured that the bench is going to treat with this matter only on the basis of the material that you and your colleagues, those with you, those against you, those who are in this court today, on the basis of what you submit; and that is what is always done, certainly by this court. So you can rest assured that we are not going to have regard to anything which is being said outside of the court, and which does not feature as a relevant part of these proceedings,” the CCJ President said.

The CCJ President took to the bench alongside Justices Jacob Wit, Winston Anderson and Denys Barrow. In the case before the Court, the PPP/C, through its General Secretary and Presidential Candidate, is seeking to overturn the decision of the Court of Appeal that the election of a President ought to be done using “valid votes” in accordance with Article 177 (2)(b) of the Constitution, and Order No. 60.

The respondents in the case are: Eslyn David; the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield; the Chairman of GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh; GECOM; the Attorney-General, Basil Williams; A New and United Guyana (ANUG) Executive, Dr. Mark France; The New Movement (TNM) Representative, Daniel Josh Kanhai; Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) Leader, Lenox Shuman; Citizenship Initiative Representative, Shazaam Ally; and Change Guyana Executive Abedin Kindy Ali.

With no objections from the attorneys representing the appellants and the respondents, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) was added as a respondent, as well as a representative of the United Republican Party (URP).