Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) notes with concern the long undue delay of the declaration of the outcome of elections held in Guyana on March 2, 2020. In the early 1990’s, GOPIO had played a role in the restoration of democratic governance in Guyana.
GOPIO praises the peaceful conduct of the 2020 elections but condemns the brazen effort to rig the outcome. GOPIO joins the international community in condemning in the strongest terms the actions of those who sought to stymie the correct count of the ballots and the scandalous attempts at rigging. We praise the effort of the Chair in ordering a recount of ballots to determine the winner and for making efforts to bring the process to closure. We condemn perpetrators of fraud and call on the chair to hold them accountable by bringing them to justice. The Chief Election Officer must be disciplined for insubordination for refusing to carry out the instruction of the chair and for repeated attempts to rig the outcome of the elections.
The Guyanese people deserve an expeditious declaration of the outcome of the election that has been pending for over four months in what observers described as free and fair and a reflection of the will of the electorate. The Guyana election commission needs to move expeditiously to declare the winner and swear in the President so that country can begin to address critically important issues like combating Covid-19 and related economic fallout and social relations that have been strained as a result of the attempt to rig the elections.
The incumbent administration should concede defeat as the numbers and the world community are stacked against it. Further efforts to thwart the will of the voters and defy international opinion would move Guyana away from a democratic path that saw the country return to democratic governance only in 1992 after nearly three decades of authoritarian rule. A declaration of the outcome based on the recount of votes would strengthen democracy and would help keep Guyana away from political and economic crisis and impending international sanctions.
“We don’t want to see Guyana being isolated around the world because of non-declaration of election results,” said Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman of GOPIO International.
“At this time, Guyana needs help from the international community to come out of the economic woes,” added Dr. Abraham.
GOPIO is a non-partisan, not-for-profit, secular organization with Individual Life Members and over 100 chapters in 35 countries. GOPIO’s volunteers are committed to enhancing cooperation and communication between NRIs/PIOs and the local communities, building bonds, friendships, alliances, and the camaraderie of citizens and colleagues alike. GOPIO volunteers believe that when they help network the global Indian community, they facilitate makingtomorrow a better world for the Indian Diaspora and the countries they live in.