The 2020 Election Fraud Trial continued today with American Chamber of Commerce-Guyana (AMCHAM) Observer, Rosalinda Rasul telling the Court that observers and agents of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and a number of the small parties were at the center of the chaos that unfolded during the tabulation of the Region 4 Statements of Poll (SOPs), and had set out to give directives to a number of the Election officials on the ground.

At the time, Rasul was being cross-examined by Defense Attorney, Ronald Daniels in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before acting Chief Magistrate, Faith McGusty.

According to Rasul, the chaos unfolded between March 4, 2020, and March 13, 2020 while the Region 4 Statements of Polls were being tabulated for the most part at Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Tabulation Centre within the Ashmin’s Building.

According to Rasul, “chaos started” on the night of March 4, when there was a dispute over the number of SOPs left to be verified.

“It was a very chaotic day,” she told the Court.

The PPP/C agents were contending that there were 100 SOPs left to be verified at the time, while the Election Officers had suggested that there were only three left to be verified.

In Rasul’s opinion, however, there were some 59 SOPs to be verified.

Rasul said the Observer for the Guyana Bar Association, Teni Housty had provided a legal opinion on the process of verifying the SOPs, while another observer suggested to the GECOM officials on the ground that the process of verification be halted.

In her written statement, the AMCHAM observer did not indicate that agents of then governing APNU+AFC were present. However, while under cross-examination, she told the Court that some Coalition agents were present.

She admitted that nothing prevented her from including the presence of other agents in her statement or that they were involved in the chaos.

The Court also heard that the agents of the PPP/C and several of the small parties fiercely protested a decision of the then Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Roxanne Myers, that the tabulation process would recommence using SOPs from the East Bank sub-district.

Adding their voice to the protests, were also observers from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (GCCI), the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Guyana Bar Association.

Rasul told the Court that a decision by GECOM to use spread sheets as oppose to the SOPs also resulted in another dispute, with the party agents protesting the decision in a “loud and chaotic” manner.

“They (the PPP/C) were the loudest,” she said.

As he continued to cross-examine Rasul, Daniels sought to bring her credibility and impartiality into question as an Observer.

He inquired whether aspects of her statements were “petty,” to which Rasul responded in the negative.

In one of the scenarios put to Rasul, Daniels pointed out that on March 12, 2020, following a ruling by the High Court, GECOM was scheduled to restart the tabulation process at 11:00hrs.

Rasul, in her statement, said she reported to the Command Centre at 8:30hrs but was not allowed in until 10:00hrs. But Daniels pointed out that Rasul was allowed to enter the premises one hour before starting time.

He then inquired whether Rasul was being petty for complaining about not being granted access initially.

On the issue of directives, Rasul admitted that PPP/C Agents, including the then Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, had given directives to the Election officers, including the Chief Election Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, on the ground.

However, in her statement, Rasul did not use the word “directives,” rather she stated that Jagdeo told the CEO, for example, to resort to the SOPs.  

Rasul said it was not until the 13^th March that there was an intervention by the APNU+AFC agent Carol Smith Joseph, in which she “directed” the Region 4 Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo to continue with process.

Daniels submitted and Rasul agreed that the tone and language used to describe the actions of the PPP/C agents and that of APNU+AFC agent were vastly different with a softer language used to describe the actions of the PPP/C agents.

Daniels submitted to the Court that Rasul has not been impartial in her accounts of the events that unfolded on the days she was present.

Rasul is expected to return to the witness box tomorrow for further examination.

Related posts:

AMCHAM Observer admits under cross-examination to amending statement to Police in Election fraud trial AMCHAM Observer presents video/audio evidence of chaos at GECOM Command Centre during vote tabulation Ex-ANUG Executive testifies before Elections COI about discrepancies in vote tabulation at GECOM Command Centre Mingo’s tabulation process not credible, transparent or inclusive -Commonwealth Observer Mission