The Carter Center has become the latest international organisation to welcome the report of the CARICOM high-level team that observed the Guyana elections vote recount.

In a statement, the Atlanta based Carter Center commended the Guyana Elections Commission on the completion of the recount and said it welcomed the CARICOM statement that despite minor flaws in the process, the recount results are acceptable and provide a basis for the declaration of results.

The Center said although it is disappointed that it was not allowed to return to Guyana to directly observe the recount, it is encouraged by CARICOM’s largely positive report on the recount process.

The Carter Center reminded that it had previously stated that while electoral preparations and voting and counting procedures met international standards, the March tabulation process for Region 4 generated results that were deemed by the Center and other international and domestic observers as not credible.

The Carter Center said all Guyanese need to prioritize efforts to strengthen Guyana’s democratic institutions and advance constitutional reforms to move beyond the winner-takes-all system.

The Carter Center was in Guyana for the 2nd March elections but left just after as Guyana and other countries started a lockdown to fight the coronavirus.

When the Center attempted to send representatives back for the recount, they were not allowed as the coronavirus lockdown remained in place.

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