–discrediting of results can only be done through election petition
The results of the ongoing national recount for the Regional and General Elections held on March 2, this year, will not alter the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM’s) 10 declarations of the results that was previously announced shortly after the polls were cast.
This is according to Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams, who on Day 11 of the recount process (today) stated that GECOM has no other option at this point than to work within the framework of the electoral laws of the country.
He noted that with this in mind, the powers the Commission has Under Section 22 of those laws allows it (Commission) to solve prospective problems that would occur.
It was emphasized that such powers cannot erase or act in retrospect to reverse concluded decisions that had been made during the process of the elections.
Minister Williams further stated that those in the political opposition are aware and recognizes that the results which were previously announced are legitimate and that this is why they are working towards having those results discredited.
However, he pointed out that those declarations can only be discredited by virtue of an election petition.
“The law remains the law, so, at the end of the day, the law will determine what happens. As I said, the electoral laws state that 10 legitimate declarations have been made, they have been laid over to the CEO [Chief Election Officer]. The national recount falls under a constitutional provision and the purpose that it is serving is to examine what happened on that day.”
According to Minister Williams, the recount process only impacts the issue of credibility of the elections.
“And thus far, the recount has shown an attempt by the Opposition to gerrymander the elections.”
