Credit: CARICOM / CARICOM  Chairman, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves

DIPLOMATIC TIMES STAFF

The Caribbean Community-CARICOM is calling on  Guyana’s elections commission to declare opposition candidate Irfaan Ali as the winner of March’s disputed vote and for President David Granger to step down. Granger and his A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition have refused to accept the findings of 33-day recount led by CARICOM, that found the country’s opposition had won the vote. Preliminary data published by Guyana’s elections commission shows that Ali has won a recount of votes in March’s presidential election. 

“The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) welcomes the progress towards the finalisation of the electoral process in Guyana following the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Wednesday 8 July. The Community calls on all stakeholders to respect the ruling of the CCJ, Guyana’s final court of appeal. 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 2 March 2020, without further delay.”

-CARICOM  Statement

CARICOM added: Indeed, the CCJ in the summary judgement aptly stated: “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. We express the fervent hope that there would quickly be a peaceable restoration of normalcy.” 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 2 March 2020, 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.”

St. Vincent and the Grenadines on UN Security Council 

Credit: Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times  /  Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is all smiles as he speakis to the press outside the General Assembly Hall after nation’s election to UN Security Council June 7, 2019 world headquarters New York. 

St. Vincent and the Grenadines has a seat on the powerful UN Security Council and could exert diplomatic pressure in resolving the Guyana election issue if President Granger refuses to step down. 

Organization of American States (OAS) Calls on  Guyana’s elections commission to declare opposition candidate Irfaan Ali as the winner 

“The decision of the Caribbean Court of Justice on July 8, 2020 confirmed that GECOM has the final authority to declare these elections and that the Chief Elections Officer is required to comply with the Commission’s directives in this regard. the OAS said in a statement Friday July 10.  “The OAS notes and commends the instructions of the GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh (ret’d), issued on July 9 and reiterated on July 10, that the Chief Elections Officer should prepare and submit his report using the results generated by the national recount. Regrettably, developments over the last two days suggest that efforts continue to avoid compliance with these obligations and to further prolong the term of the current government. The OAS notes that one of the principal obstacles to completing Guyana’s current electoral process is a person whose duty it is to defend Guyana’s democracy through ensuring respect for the results of elections.”

“A credible conclusion of the 2020 elections is essential if Guyana is to remain a democracy. The OAS will continue to support the efforts of the people of Guyana towards this end.” -OAS

Massive Oil Reserves To Increase  Government Income to $120 Billion 

Credit: caribbeannationalweekly.com/  (Left)  Guyana incumbent President David Granger, A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC),  and main opposition candidate Irfaan Ali, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)

Guyana held its first election since the massive oil find in 2015 on March 2 between  incumbent president  David Granger and challenger Irfaan Ali. There are huge stakes in the election as oil production could reach an estimated 1.2mn bl/d by 2030, increasing government income to $120 Billion over the next decade- a tempting prize in a country ranked as one of the poorest in the Western hemisphere.  Granger is of the People’s National Congress – Reform (PNCR) coalition, and rival Ali of the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP).  The head of Guyana’s Supreme Court ordered a partial recount of votes in the March 2 disputed general election. The opposition accused the government of fraud in favour of incumbent President  Granger.  A judge of the Supreme Court ruled the electoral body should not declare a winner before the recount is finished. The vote will determine who is in power when huge new oil reserves are explored.  Both sides  claimed victory.