Following the Chairperson’s instruction to the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) to prepare a report in accordance with Section 96 of the Representation of the People’s Act (RPA) Chapter 1:03, Campaign Manager of the APNU+AFC, Joseph Harmon said that no government could be declared based on fraudulent votes.
“The CEO always has to act in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of this country and therefore cannot make a submission which is unlawful. So, he has to be aware of that when he sends to the Chairman what are considered valid votes cast at these elections.”
Harmon said the government awaits the written directive from the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh that will be given to the CEO, Keith Lowenfield as the national recount process comes to its final stage. The CEO’s final report will pave the way for an official declaration of the election results.
He said the Chair’s decision was very “convoluted” which still has to be interpreted and so a decision was made and she will provide further instructions in a written letter to the CEO. Harmon also mentioned that no winner or loser has yet been declared as the chairman has made a finding from the reports submitted by the CEO.
“There was a process of a recount which lasted for 33 days and if we were to say that work is not to be considered, even though the gazetted order requires it to be so then we will have to see what the letter says.”
The CEO submitted his report on Saturday where he detailed the many irregularities. According to Harmon only 40 percent of the total votes cast were untainted as reported by the CEO. Therefore, a declaration must be made with “valid votes.”
“The CEO cannot declare anything other than valid votes and in his determination of valid votes, we will wait to see those reports of the CEO reflected in the way those votes are tallied,” Harmon said.
