OAS SG says right of appeal should not be abused

Luis Almagro
Luis Almagro

In the wake of a unanimous Guyana Court of Appeal (CoA) decision throwing out the latest challenge to the recount result by an APNU+AFC supporter, Organisation of American States (OAS) Secretary General, Luis Almagro yesterday said the right of appeal should not be abused.

In a tweet, Almagro said “The right of appeal is a privilege that should not be abused – especially in deferring the will of the people. #Guyana has spoken. GECOM must declare results based on the recount.”

With the CoA dismissing the appeal by Misenga Jones against a decision of Chief Justice Roxane George which affirmed that the recount votes be used and that the Chief Election Officer is subject to the direction of GECOM, her lawyers are mulling an approach to the CCJ though this is increasingly being seen as a hopeless endeavour and likely to be described as an abuse of the court process.

The OAS Permanent Council last week held a meeting on the Guyana elections and another meeting is likely to be convened shortly. At the OAS meeting a number of member states called for the use of the recount result and expressed concern about shenanigans at GECOM.