Bipartisan US Congress Members Call For Transparent Recount In Guyana

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. May 13, 2020: Six U.S. Congress members, including two who were born in the Caribbean, on Tuesday voiced support for a transparent recount of votes from the March 2, 20220 elections, in Guyana.

The congress members comment come as nationals in Guyana are still awaiting the results of the March 2, 2020 general elections and as a recount began last week.

Cuban-born Congressmember, Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ) and Puerto Rico’s Jenniffer González-Colón, (R-PR), joined Queens Congresssman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Francis Rooney (R-FL) and Jeff Duncan (R-SC) in reiterating their “bipartisan commitment to supporting a fully transparent election process that reflects the will of the Guyanese people.”

They also urged the Government of Guyana to allow the observation team from the Carter Center and technical advisory team from the International Republican Institute to return to the country to join CARICOM in observing the recount process.

The Carter Center said that they had “deployed an observer to Miami who was prepared to travel to Georgetown, but unfortunately, his flight was denied approval to carry international election observers.”

The Guyana government has, however, said the Carter Center can return to Guyana to observe the national recount of votes if it requests permission through the right channels and complies with the measures in place to prevent the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Some 156 of the 2,339 boxes of votes generated from the March 2 general and regional polls have reportedly been recounted to date.

“We remain dedicated to ensuring that the Guyanese people are free to exercise their right to vote, that their votes are counted accurately, and that they are able to shape a democratic and prosperous future for their country,” the statement added.