Informe del director electoral da la victoria al oficialismo a más de cuatro meses de los comicios
Informe de director electoral da victoria a la coalición de Granger en Guyana
El director de Elecciones de Guyana, Keith Lowenfield, presentó un informe a la Comisión Electoral de Guyana (Gecom) en el que se da la victoria en las elecciones del pasado 2 de marzo a la coalición de la gobernante Unidad Nacional + Alianza para el Cambio (APNU + AFC) del presidente David Granger.
La presentación del informe por parte de Lowenfield, divulgada este domingo a través de medios locales, el tercero de este tipo desde los comicios de marzo, fue dado a conocer a la presidenta de la Gecom, la jueza retirado Claudette Singh, el sábado.
Según el informe, hubo un total de 475.118 votos válidos emitidos en las elecciones generales de Guyana, de los que la APNU + AFC obtuvo 236.777 votos, mientras que el opositor Partido Progresista del Pueblo (PPP) tuvo 229.330.
La formación ANUG recibió 2.275 votos, Cambio Guyana 2.026 votos, Partido Libertad y Justicia (LJP) 2.569 votos, el Partido de la República Popular (PRP) 862 votos, la Iniciativa de Ciudadanía (TCI) 680 votos, el grupo TNM 246 votos y el Partido Republicano Unido (URP) 353 votos.
LA COALICIÓN GUBERNAMENTAL OBTUVO 33 ESCAÑOS
Basado en los votos válidos emitidos, la APNU + AFC obtuvo 33 escaños, el PPP 31 y la lista unida formada por ANUG, LJP y TNM un puesto en la Asamblea Nacional, compuesta por 65 escaños.
Al presentar su informe electoral, Lowenfield le dijo a la presidenta de la Gecom que su informe era consistente con el Artículo 177 de la Constitución y las leyes electorales que rigen el país, en una carta.
Singh informó el viernes a Lowenfield de que debía de preparar un nuevo informe que daría lugar al proceso de publicación de los resultados oficiales de las elecciones del 2 de marzo.
El informe de Lowenfield hecho público ayer fue rechazado por los comisionados electorales del opositor PPP, que alegaron que nuevamente ha introducido cifras que son inexactas y que no reflejan los datos de los votos.
La Gecom, compuesta por representantes electorales nombrados por el Gobierno y la oposición, no se reunió el sábado debido a que los miembros nombrados por el Ejecutivo de David Granger anunciaron que no acudirían a la cita en la que se debía decidir, de forma definitiva, sobre el resultado de las elecciones del pasado 2 de marzo.
EL CCJ DESESTIMO FALLO DE LA CORTE DE APELACIONES
La petición del informe se hizo después de que el Tribunal de Justicia del Caribe (CCJ), con sede en Trinidad y Tobago, la más alta corte de la región, desestimara un fallo de la Corte de Apelaciones de Guyana en el que Lowenfield basó un informe previo presentado a la Gecom indicando que la APNU + AFC había ganado los comicios de marzo.
El PPP de Irfaam Ali reclamó la victoria por más de 15.000 votos luego del recuento que fue supervisado por un equipo de tres miembros de observadores de la Comunidad del Caribe (Caricom) que finalizó el 9 de junio y que, efectivamente, dio como ganador a ese partido.
El Caricom acogió el jueves con satisfacción el progreso hacia la finalización del proceso electoral en Guyana tras el fallo del CCJ e hizo un llamamiento a todas las partes interesadas para que respeten la decisión.
Tras la presentación del informe de Lowenfield, el próximo paso es la reunión de la Gecom -probablemente la próxima semana- para decidir sobre si acepta el resultado del responsable electoral, aunque la «mañana» de recursos judiciales en que se ha convertido el recuento de los comicios hace incierto el desenlace final de estas controvertidas elecciones celebradas en marzo.
Lowenfield defies GECOM Chair
Embattled Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield presented figures to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) showing a victory for the incumbent APNU+AFC—in clear defiance of the instruction by the Chair Claudette Singh to utilise the recount tabulation which shows a win for the opposition PPP/C.
As international pressure on GECOM builds for a lawful declaration, Lowenfield’s recalcitrance presents a dilemma for Singh on how to have the recount figure certified as she has promised that she would. With no quorum yesterday for a meeting as the three-government appointed commissioners were absent, a meeting could be convened tomorrow at which Singh will have to decide how the recount figure will be placed before GECOM. If tomorrow’s meeting is held it could result in a declaration even without the government-appointed commissioners as the required quorum would then be the chair plus three commissioners.
Singh was silent yesterday on the way forward.
Commonwealth SG urges GECOM to make declaration based on figures from National Recount
Pressure has increased both locally and internationally for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to use the figures emanating from the National Recount to make a final declaration of the March 2 General and Regional Elections.
This call was reiterated by the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland, on Sunday.
“I urge all political actors and stakeholders in Guyana to accept and respect the results of the National Recount and ensure that their words and actions promote an environment of peace, harmony and social cohesion among all Guyanese,” she said in a statement.
Baroness Scotland endorsed the July 9 missive from Chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who had called on all stakeholders to respect the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Guyana’s final court of appeal.
The CCJ last Wednesday ruled that Guyana’s Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction to hear the matter filed by APNU/AFC supporter, Eslyn David. As such, the regional court invalidated the Appeal Court’s decision that “more votes cast” in the Recount Order means “more valid votes cast” as well as the fraudulent report submitted by Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, who had dumped over 115,000 votes.
The Commonwealth SG on Sunday noted that in accordance with the applicable laws and the Constitution of Guyana, the CCJ exercised its final appellate jurisdiction and handed down a clear and unambiguous ruling.
She referenced CCJ President, Justice Adrian Saunders, who in delivering the ruling said: “It is for GECOM to ensure that the election results are swiftly declared in accordance with the Laws of Guyana.”
According to Baroness Scotland, Guyana is a much-loved and valued member of the Commonwealth. As such, on behalf of the entire Commonwealth family, she strongly encouraged the Elections Commission to follow the directions given by the CCJ and decisively conclude the March 2, 2020 elections based on the results of the National Recount.
“The will of the people as expressed in the 2 March 2020 General and Regional Elections must be respected for democracy to prevail in Guyana,” she contended.
Moreover, the Commonwealth SG went on to point out that Guyana’s destiny as a great nation rests on the shoulders of those men and women who are duty-bound to make the right decision. This, she asserted, includes respecting the will of the people and the rule of law, and being ready to place the country before personal ambitions.
“The Commonwealth calls all leaders to be faithful to the common good, so that Guyana’s future may truly be forged today,” Baroness Scotland stated.
On Saturday, CEO Lowenfield submitted his elections report to GECOM but instead of using the recount figures, after being directed to do so twice by the GECOM Chair, he included the fraudulent figures of embattled District Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, to give the caretaker APNU/AFC a win.
However, the certified 33-day recount exercise shows a landslide victory for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), which secured 233,336 votes while the caretaker coalition obtained 217,920 votes – a difference of 15,416 votes.
In Lowenfield’s latest fraudulent report, he gives the APNU/AFC 236,777 votes and the PPP/C 229,330 votes.
The seven-member Elections Commission is expected to meet today to discuss the report.
Only last month, the Commonwealth SG, who had deployed a team to monitor Guyana’s March 2 polls, had expressed concerns after Lowenfield had submitted yet another fraudulent report “…that do not reflect that which was certified at the end of the recount process.”
Baroness Scotland noted in the June 24 missive that this is contrary to the fundamental principles which are treasured by the Commonwealth family and enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter. As such, she had called for stakeholders in Guyana to honour their constitutional duties by ensuring a fair and transparent political process.
