GEORGETOWN, Guyana – President Dr Irfaan Ali on Saturday said a forensic probe would be conducted into the problems surrounding the disputed March 2 regional and general elections that eventually lead to him being declared winner of the presidential poll and the main opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) defeating the coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) administration.
“Very importantly we will pursue the necessary reforms to make our democracy stronger and our electoral process more transparent, Ali said as his inauguration as he announced plans for the forensic probe into the recent polls. He warned that those found culpable would be punished.
Ali was declared head of state last Sunday after the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) accepted the report reluctantly filed by the Chief Elections Officer, Kevin Lowenfield, based on the national recount of votes that had been supervised by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
The declaration by GECOM ended 22 weeks of legal action by the APNU that had contended that there had been many irregularities during the polls and has since indicated it will be filing election petitions contesting the declarations by GECOM in declaring the PPP/C the victors in the election.
Speaking at the National Cultural Centre, Ali, thanked CARICOM, The United States, Canada, Britain and the European Union as well as the international observers such as the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth and the Carter Center for their role in ensuring the preservation of democracy here.
He made particular reference to former Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur, who led the Commonwealth Observer team but died on July 27 from heart complications in his homeland.
President Ali described Arthur as “a true friend of Guyana; a man committed to justice and to right…[a] warrior in our cause,” adding he was “one man who put our country before he put himself in his determination that democracy should not die in Guyana, nor should our people be deprived of their political rights”.
Ali said that Arthur is among the names of persons who will “form a lexicon of heroes of our nation”.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the newly-elected President of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi and Edmund Hinkson, the Special envoy of Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor.
In his address, President Ali said Guyana is grateful “CARICOM stood by our side” and has promised that under his leadership, Guyana, a founding member of the 15-regional integration movement, will play a more significant role in CARICOM. (CMC)
