Dear Editor,
With Election Observer Missions from the international community in the country and meeting with parties that will be contesting the upcoming elections, I offer a retrospective on the 2020 elections as a reminder that the disgrace of 2020 must not be repeated.
Prior to Guyana’s general elections of May 11, 2015, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between A Party for National Unity (APNU) and Alternative For Change (AFC) for the two parties to contest the elections as a coalition. After the coalition won the elections to form the government, gaining 33 of the 65 seats in Parliament, Mr David Granger of APNU was sworn-in as President and Mr Moses Nagamootoo as Prime Minister. In government, the leadership of the AFC abandoned their independence, supported every decision spear-headed by APNU, and allowed their party to function as an arm of APNU. On December 21, 2018, to the shock and dismay of his government colleagues, Mr Charrandass Persaud of the AFC voted in support of a No Confidence Vote (NCV) to defeat the government by his one vote.
Instead of the government resigning and scheduling new general elections within ninety days of the date of the successful NCV, as required by the constitution, President Granger proceeded on a lengthy legal battle through the courts to challenge the validity of the NCV while his government remained in office. At the same time a legal challenge by the Opposition, Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP), of the unilateral appointment by President Granger of retired Justice James Patterson on October 19, 2017 as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was underway in the courts. Both cases ended up at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). On June 18, 2019, the CCJ ruled the appointment of Justice Patterson unconstitutional and on July 12, 2019, it ruled the NCV legally valid. Justice Patterson resigned a week after the ruling and, by mutual agreement between the Leader of the Opposition and President Granger, retired Justice Claudette Singh was appointed as his replacement.
After the CCJ’s ruling on the NCV, President Granger refused to set a date for new elections. On September 19, 2019, Reuters, under the caption “Diplomats declare Guyana government in breach of constitution as first oil looms” reported “U.S. and European diplomats on Thursday declared Guyana’s government in breach of the country’s constitution until new elections are held and called on Guyanese President David Granger to set an elections date immediately or possibly face a cutoff of development funding”. Finally, on September 30, 2019, President Granger proclaimed March 2, 2020, as the date for General elections.
Elections day was generally peaceful and uneventful, apart from few minor glitches. At the conclusion of the elections, a News Release from the UK and US envoys states “Heads of Mission of the British High Commission, H.E. Greg Quinn and Ambassador of the United States of America, H.E. Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, would like to congratulate all the people of Guyana for a successful and peaceful Election Day on 02 March”. And on March, 3, 2019 Stabroek News reported “While Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield would not provide a definitive date for the declaration of results, he told a press conference last evening that he is hoping that the ten Returning Officers (RO) will be able to make a declaration of the results in their respective districts by lunch time today”. However, expectation of a quick declaration of results soon changed. The editorial “Elections being rigged” (Stabroek News March 6, 2020), four days after the elections, reports “When all of the bewildering events of yesterday at the office of the Region Four Returning Officer are taken into account, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that Gecom and its staffers are working in the interest of APNU+AFC and rigging the 2020 general elections right before our eyes”.
Problems started at elections headquarters in Georgetown where the results from the Regional Offices across the country were being consolidated and reported in the presence of agents from the contesting political parties who had copies of Statement of Polls with results from each polling station of each Region; diplomats from the UK, US and the European Union (EU); international observers from the EU, the OAS and the Commonwealth Secretariat; and the Carter Center. The Summary of The European Union Election Observation Mission Final Report notes, “Voting, counting and the tabulation of results in nine of Guyana’s ten regions were generally well managed. However, the integrity of the entire electoral process was seriously compromised by the non-transparent and non-credible tabulation of results in the largest and decisive Region 4 by senior Guyana Elections Commission officials, acting in blatant violation of the law and High Court orders issued in this regard”.
Based on reports in the local news media and reports of the various International Observers missions, the infamy that occurred includes: (a) threat by the Foreign Minister of APNU+AFC caretaker government to revoke the credentials of the International observers, who were invited by President Granger to observe the elections, for voicing concerns over the tabulation which was contrary to the documented process; (b) intimidation and threats to foreign diplomats observing the vote tabulation causing them to walkout; (c) fear of tampering of ballot boxes in containers stored at GECOM premises for recount thereby causing a civic society group ‘Guardian of Democracy’ to keep 24/7 watch on the containers; (d) following a ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Chief Elections Officer refused requests by GECOM chairperson on three occasions to prepare a final report based on the results of the recount. Instead, he prepared a report largely based on discredited numbers, indicating that APNU+AFC coalition won the elections.
Finally, after the CCJ’s ruling and with threats of sanctions of individuals by the US government, President Granger conceded defeat based on the recount and allowed Dr Irfan Ali of the PPP to be sworn-in as President on August 2, 2020, and establish a PPP government.
Subsequently, a Commission of Inquiry appointed by President Ali issued a report stating “After careful consideration and analysis of the evidence before us, it is our considered view that CEO Mr. Keith Lowenfield, DCEO Ms. Roxanne Myers and RO Mr. Clairmont Mingo were principally responsible for clear and deliberate attempts to frustrate, obstruct and subvert the ascertainment of votes in electoral district No. 4.”
As Guyana moves forward into the September 1, 2025 elections, it is critical to be reminded of what transpired in 2020 and heed the Stabroek News Editorial of August 12, 2024. “The five-month impasse that delayed the transition in governments had nothing at all to do with a bloated list of voters or malpractices at polling stations…it is worth repeating that the vast majority of the hundreds of polling day workers on March 2nd 2020 worked industriously and heroically to enable voters to cast their ballots, for these to be counted, results posted up outside polling stations and the relevant documents transmitted to the district returning officers. That system functioned marvellously…”
Harry Hergash
