THE Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG)and the Mayor of Georgetown have separately called on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to fulfil its constitutionally mandated duty and declare the winner of the 2020 elections as soon as the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has made its ruling.

In a statement Monday, the CIOG President Shahabudeen Ahmad said Guyanese citizens have demonstrated admirable restraint and patience while the electoral process and its results have been subjected to many stages of overview and review prior to verification. “After intense scrutiny, the CARICOM observer team declared that they were of the “unshakeable belief that the people of Guyana expressed their will at the ballot box on March 2.” To the great credit of our nation, all International and CARICOM observers have vouched that Guyana’s 2020 electoral process was free, fair, and credible,” the CIOG said.
According to the CIOG, the Guyanese people should be proud of this accomplishment, for when democracy wins, everyone wins. “Now it is time to honour and respect the will of the people as expressed by the majority of the electorate at the polls. It is time to move forward and work unitedly for the well-being and success of the entire nation. CIOG calls on the Guyana Police Force to uphold the rule of law in a responsible manner while simultaneously monitoring and addressing any inflammatory actions in order to serve and protect all Guyanese citizens.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Mayor of Georgetown also on Monday called for the swearing in of President David Granger and is endorsing the commencement of a second term for the APNU+AFC government. “The Office of the Mayor is of the firm belief that the APNU+AFC has won the March 02, 2020 polls based on the chief elections officer’s report of June 23, 2020, which was submitted in accordance with Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act and Article 177(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana; taking into consideration the Order of the Court of Appeal in the Eslyn David v Chief Elections Officer, et al.”

According to the Mayor Ubraj Narine, the CEO’s report accounts for the valid votes cast in these elections and as such shows a clear win for the incumbent APNU+AFC government. In the light of this, the Mayor’s Office is calling on all stakeholders to accept the outcome of these elections. Guyana needs to move forward and can only do so with the support of all Guyanese at all levels of government and society. Guyana remains a free and sovereign nation, holding all democratic principles and practices to the highest legal standard. It is necessary, now more than ever, for the day-to-day functions of the government to commence unhindered. The Guyanese people deserve, at least, this much.