Following is a statement from Coalition APNU/AFC responding to the Private Sector Commission on the elections recount:
The Coalition APNU+AFC views with great consternation the utterances by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) with regard to the national recount of ballots in the recent National and Regional Elections of March 2020.
In the first instance, the Coalition notes that this statement has arrived after the GECOM had clearly communicated to the Guyanese public, their intention to recount all of the ballots from all of the ten Electoral Districts in a sequential manner, starting from District One.
We draw to the attention of all Guyanese, PSC’s insistence that only a recount of District Four be undertaken and their condemnation of a total recount as an “entire waste of time”.
The Coalition wishes to point out the absolute hypocrisy of this position, given that Guyanese from District 1 – Barima/Waini to District 10 -Upper Demerara/ Berbice would have exercised their franchise and should too be granted the assurance that their votes are accounted for. Afterall, any government elected in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana would be a government of ALL the people.
This simplistic posture of the PSC, not only abrogates the transparency they claim to seek, but has removed the veil of neutrality in which it ought to be cloaked and incontrovertibly identifies that entity as a mere stooge of the Opposition PPP/C. It is now obvious to all that the political bias of the PSC does not even allow them to acknowledge that there were discrepancies in other Districts, which led to the APNU+AFC asking for a recount in Districts 3 and 6 amongst others which was refused by Returning Officers.
The PSC has demonstrated in no small measure, their contempt for and underestimation of the intelligence of the Guyanese people, who understand that a total recount is the only true measure of complete transparency.
It is in this spirit that HE David Granger initiated the efforts for a total recount of the votes and has maintained the position that GECOM must be allowed to operate without interference, intimidation and in accordance with the laws of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
The Coalition awaits GECOM’s direction on the conduct of the recount which we hope will include an audit of the contents of each ballot box and which we are certain will take into consideration the current prevailing circumstances in which the country is engulfed, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The APNU+AFC continues to be confident of its victory at the polls and like the rest of the nation, looks forward to a declaration in that regard.
