CCJ to hear Guyana elections submissions

Caribbean Court of Justice in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Caribbean Court of Justice in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will on Wednesday hear submissions challenging Guyana’s Court of Appeal decision on the constitutional meaning of “votes cast” at that country’s March 2 polls.

Guyana’s main opposition, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has filed a notice of motion asking for an interpretation of the words “more votes are cast.” The Court of Appeal in its decision ordered that the words are to be interpreted as meaning “more valid votes are cast”.

The court also ruled that Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had a responsibility to determine the final credible count based on quantitative and qualitative assessments of the observation report, in keeping with provisions of the original order and in the final paragraph of the amended order.

After the PPP/C’s notice was filed, the CCJ issued an order requiring GECOM to take no steps to prejudice the fair hearing before it.

It also said it will hear arguments on its jurisdiction as part of the substantive hearing on Wednesday. After the Court of Appeal ruling, Guyana’s chief election officer Keith Lowenfield submitted what he said was a report of the “valid and credible votes” at the March 2 polls to GECOM, showing a victory for the incumbent APNU+AFC, after invalidating almost 25 per cent of the votes cast.

The PPP/C has said it won the elections based on the national recount of votes while the ruling APNU said the polls were filled with irregularities. A full court is expected to sit on the panel. The seven judges who make up the full court are: the president of the court and Justices Jacob Wit, Winston Anderson, Maureen Rajnauth-Lee, Denys Barrow, Andrew Burgess and Peter Jamadar.

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"CCJ to hear Guyana elections submissions"

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