The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), has joined in urging the various stakeholders to resolve the current impasse delaying the end of the election process, while noting that the political uncertainty combined with the coronavirus threat is creating hardships for all.
In a statement on Tuesday, GMSA expressed “grave concern” over the effects the two events are having. According to the association, it is important that the major political stakeholders seek a democratic and timely resolution.
“We support a transparent process of verification of votes cast, in all regions, in a manner that sustains confidence in our electoral process, and that establishes mature governance of our country for present and future generations. This will redound to a good business climate, and secure livelihoods.”
“Business thrives on political stability, and the current impasse is very disruptive. It threatens to erode gains made through the support of our regional and international partners and widens ethnic divisions,” GMSA also said.
The association explained that the failure to settle the election issues, compounded by the global coronavirus pandemic that has impacted not only lives but the global economy, has implications for everyone including the employers and employees.
“Layoffs have already commenced at some companies and may be expanding. We recognise the specific roles ascribed to political parties, civil society, and Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), as outlined in our Constitution, in consort with the neutral presence of both local and international observers.”
“Nevertheless, we call on the political parties and GECOM to put the interest of Guyanese citizens first in all decisions and actions. The verification of all votes, based on established transparent procedures and processes in accordance with the relevant laws, remains a prudent course of action, for all regions and districts.”
The GMSA’s statement came on the same day that the court discharged an injunction preventing GECOM from conducting a national recount. This means that nothing prevents GECOM from following through on the recount it promised and was about to start before a member of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) stalled the process.
Since the elections were held over four weeks ago, a winner is yet to be announced. The majority of observers who scrutinised the tabulation process have pronounced it to have not been credible and the court case had prohibited GECOM from conducting a recount.
