Gonsalves: Respect CCJ ruling on Guyana

CARICOM chairman Dr Ralph Gonsalves in a statement on Friday urged all concerned to respect the recent ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on the outcome of the March 2 Guyana general election. The St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister said Caricom welcomed the progress on the finalisation of the electoral process in Guyana after the CCJ ruling last Wednesday (8 July.)

“The community calls on all stakeholders to respect the ruling of the CCJ, Guyana's final court of appeal.”

He said the ruling was apt.

Gonsalves quoted the CCJ, saying, “It has been four months since the elections were held and the country has been without a Parliament for well over a year. No one in Guyana would regard this to be a satisfactory state of affairs.” He cited the CCJ expressing its fervent hope for a quick peaceable restoration of normalcy.

Gonsalves opined, “Accordingly, the court's ruling should lead to a declaration by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) of the results of the general and regional elections held on March 2, without further delay.

“Caricom commends the continuing patience and calm of the people of Guyana and calls on all stakeholders to respect the rule of law.”

On Thursday, GECOM chairman Justice Claudette Singh requested Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield to submit his report on the election by 2 pm Friday, using the valid votes tallied in the national recount of the polls.

Lowenfield did not meet the deadline but in a letter replied to Singh by saying he needed “further guidance.” He asked if his actions now were to be guided by the Election Laws Act or the Guyana Constitution. On Friday in Guyana, United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) envoys Greg Quinn and Fernando Ponz Canto called for a declaration of the election results in line with the recount and CCJ ruling.