Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
US Congressional group urges return of Carter Center
Just one day after it was revealed that the President was directly responsible for blocking the re-entry of the Carter Center Observers into Guyana, a group of bipartisan US Congressional representatives have released a public statement lobbying for their return.
US Democratic representative Albio Sires
In a joint statement shared via a twitter account, Reps. Albio Sires (D-NJ), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Francis Rooney (R-FL), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), and Jennifer González-Colón (R-PR) said that while they appreciate the recount and the role of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in the process, they still want the Carter Center and International Republican Institute (IRI) back in Guyana.
“We appreciate the vital role that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has played in advancing democratic principles in Guyana. At the same time, we urge 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.
US Democratic Representative Gregory W. Meeks
We remain dedicated to ensuring the Guyanese people are free to exercise their right to vote, their votes are accurately counted and that they are able to shape a democratic and prosperous future for their nation,” the group said in its appeal.
Former Attorney General of Guyana, Anil Nandlall, also added his voice to the issue.
In a brief comment, Nandlall said too that the return of the Carter Center observer mission should be facilitated.
“The election is still ongoing; these organizations were accredited to observe the elections to the very end. If there is a revocation of those facilities then it must be done in writing and published in the gazette.”
In addition to this, the US embassy in Guyana has been lobbying for the return of the Carter Center and IRI.
The government has been shifting the blame as to who was responsible for blocking the approval of the Carter Center observer team to monitor the elections recount process for the past week.
However, a recently leaked document evidenced that it was President David Granger who opposed the team’s re-entry.
In a letter addressed to US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings, writing on behalf of the President, explained that the decision to oppose the team’s re-entry into Guyana is premised on Government’s measures to protect its citizens from the spread of the COVID -19 disease.
US Republican Representative, Jennifer González Colon
The correspondence dated May 6, 2020 was a direct response to a May 4 letter written to the President by Ambassador Lynch appealing directly to Mr. Granger, after the national COVID- 19 Task Force failed to respond to a previous request.
In the letter, Dr. Cummings explained that while the President agreed that a high-level team from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) would function within the framework of the Constitution, and under the aegis of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the request for re-entry by the international observers does not hold the same weight.
Rather, the Foreign Affairs Minister said that given the prevailing circumstances regarding the COVID-19 disease, Guyana‘s public health situation takes priority. She said, “The public health situation in Guyana has changed drastically since the Regional and General elections held on March 2, as you are aware. The Government published an extraordinary issue of the Official Gazette on 16th March and promulgated COVID -19 emergency measures on 3rd April which included the imposition of curfew and states inter alia.”
Citing the order, Cummings continued, “The Cheddi Jagan International and Eugene F. Correia International Airports shall remain closed to all international flights expect for outgoing flights, cargo flights , medical evacuation flights , technical stops for fuels only and special authorised flights. The Government of Guyana requests that its measures to protect its citizens from the disease are respected.”
Cummings’ letter contradicted comments made by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National COVID-19 Task Force, Joseph Harmon, who claimed that the Carter Center was denied the approval when they informed government ‘last minute’ that observers would be aboard the flight.
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