Change Guyana (CG) Executive Member and former Prime Ministerial Candidate, Nigel Hinds has issued a call to the International Community to stop “singing” and start taking action against those who stand in the way of the people’s will being reflected.
His call came minutes after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) delivered a rendering of a monumental decision that is likely to end the four-month political impasse in Guyana, and to bring closure to the electoral process that was set into motion by a vote of no confidence successfully passed back in December 2018, which saw the David Granger-led administration being reduced to an interim government.
The March General and Regional elections have been characterized by litigation, violent protests, and allegations of voter fraud.
The international community has been vocal about the will of the people, and the rule of law being respected in Guyana as the electoral process continues to be subjected to back to back controversy leading to delays. Several international alliances have spoken about the repercussions of noncredible elections, and the devastating impact it can have on Guyana’s relations with regional and international blocs. The imposition of sanctions has been prominently highlighted in what could come if the results used to declare a winner of the elections are not credible.
Hinds, in a statement yesterday, said that the attempts to thwart the will of the people is enough for the International Community to start walking the walk.
“To the International community from CARICOM to the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, [and] Canada: stop singing and making statements, and start taking action against the players who have dragged Guyana down to the point where voters are being disenfranchised – over 115,000 voters have been rejected by the Chief Elections Officer,” he said.
The CG Member said that action should not only be taken on those directly involved in the electoral process, but also, on those who have “aided” in the will of the people being denied.
“In my opinion, there are certain players from the Court of Appeal to the Guyana Police Force and other constitutional agencies that have given aid to the de facto government…The International Community should take action against the individuals who have continued to defy the majority will of the people; defy the Constitution of Guyana; and to defy the needs of the Guyanese people as we battle the COVID-19 crisis. So, on behalf of the Change Guyana, we ask the International Community to take cognizance of what is going on, and to act now instead of waiting for things to get worse,” he said.
The CCJ yesterday unanimously ruled that the Guyana Court of Appeal fell into error and was plainly wrong when it granted an Order refining the provisions of Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution by inserting the word ‘valid’. According to CCJ’s President Justice Adrian Saunders, the words ‘more votes are cast’ in this constitutional provision needed no refinement as it is “plain and simple language” and has always said what it meant and meant what it said.
