BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AS a cloud continues to hang over the outcome of the Guyana March 2 elections, the Caribbean Community is calling the electoral officials in Georgetown and the representative political parties to work together to achieve a peaceful and lawful completion of the electoral process.
That call came one day after violence reportedly erupted in some parts of the country, with one person dead and others nursing injuries.
The contention for the delay in announcing the formal results in the tabulation process used in the largest region in that country.
According to media reports out of Georgetown, there were several stop and starts in the process before the final count announced by the returning Returning Officer gave the incumbent coalition government the victory.
In her statement, CARICOM Chairperson, Mia Mottley said, “we are very clear, every vote must be made to count; and transparently so”
The chairperson noted that all sides have been making serious allegations against each other. To this end, she said: “It is critical that good sense prevail. The Preservation of law and order is paramount and All parties must work hard to ensure that there is peace on the roads and in the communities across Guyana. There has already been one death reported overnight. That is one death too many”.According to Mottley, “in simple language, we ask the parties to recognise that the primary consideration must not only be who will be President but, moreso, who will be alive come next week or next month, for there cannot be a tolerance for any further loss of life.”
The outcome of the elections is currently before the courts and a result may not come before the end of the week.
