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US serious on threat of sanctions if elections results not credible “We stand by our word” – US Ambassador
US Ambassador Sarah Ann-Lynch is adamant that her country “stands by their word” regarding the threat of sanctions on Guyana and those who seek to benefit from electoral fraud.
US Ambassador, Sarah Ann-Lynch
The Ambassador during an interview with the Newsroom’s Neil Marks on Thursday was asked whether the US would make good on these threats if the current electoral stalemate is not resolved on the basis of credible results.
To this, Lynch did not state specifically what sanctions would be imposed but explained that they would emerge from Washington “at the highest levels of the Statement Department.”
Acting Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of State’s, Michael Kozak had issued a warning to those who “participate and benefit from electoral fraud, undermine democratic institutions and impede a peaceful transition of power”, citing that they could be subjected to a variety of harsh consequences.
According to the Diplomat, “you don’t just get to call yourself a democracy.
You have certain responsibilities as a democracy and to be a member of that democracy club, you have to adhere to those responsibilities; you have to adhere to democratic principles; you have to adhere to the bedrock of democracy, which is free, fair and credible elections and the rule of law.”
The US Ambassador, when asked to describe current relations between Guyana and the US, she relayed that it was “still good”.
In the same breath, she urged the Guyana Elections Commission and others involved in the elections process to have it resolved expeditiously.
Ambassador Lynch expressed her disappointment in that fact that the elections tabulation process went sour after a relatively smooth elections day. She pointed out that, “it is close to nine weeks after the March 2 polls and we are getting to the point where it is a historic amount of time in an unresolved election in a democracy.”
While pleased that a recount is in the works, she bemoaned the lack of a start date to the process, stating that it is a “bit disappointing.”
Further, she noted that Guyana has to balance the COVID-19 along with other issues to ensure that the process is credible and transparent. “When an unresolved election meets a global pandemic, this equals a problem set that not a lot of nations are dealing with so Guyana has a lot of critical decisions to make.”
“I think it can be done because we need this recount to be transparent and accountable and it needs to be done safely now because of the COVID issues but it needs to be done expeditiously…you’ve heard the saying where there’s a will, there’s a way and I think it can be done.”
Ambassador Lynch applauded the CARICOM team for their willingness to assist in the recount process and stated that she was pleased to see that GECOM Chair, Ret’d Justice Claudette Singh was reconsidering recommendations to live stream the recount.
Lynch stated that it would go a long way “to the credibility of the recount.”
“It will give citizens confidence to know that the recount was done in a fair and transparent way.”
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