The PPP today slammed a report submitted to GECOM by Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield on the March 2nd recount of votes as ultra vires and in excess of his authority.

An edited statement by the PPP follows:

The Chief Election Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield, has submitted Matrices for the recount of the 10 Electoral Districts and a Summary of the Observation Reports for each district, along with required attachments, pursuant to the gazette Order made by GECOM, under which the national recount of ballots were done.

The relevant portions of the Order reads:

“The matrices for the recount of the ten (10) Electoral Districts shall then be tabulated by the Chief Election Officer and be submitted in a report, together with a summary of the observation reports for each District, to the Commission on or before 13th day of June 2020.”

It is clear from the above that Lowenfield has no power or authority or any mandate to offer a view, opinion or judgement of any type, either in the Observation Report or the Matrices to be tabulated.

It is clear that GECOM is enjoined by the law and the Constitution to ignore every aspect of Lowenfield’s Report, other than the General Elections Recount Totals and the Regional Elections Recount Totals.