Full Court rules High Court has no jurisdiction to hear recount case

─Moore to appeal decision

DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, March 31, 2020

The Full Court of Chief Justice Roxane George and Justice Naresh Harnanan this morning ruled that the High Court does not have jurisdiction to hear the substantive arguments in the injunction filed against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) by private citizen Ulita Grace Moore.

This decision has now rendered the interim injunction by Justice Franklyn Holder discharged and Moore’s application to block a recount of votes cast in the General and Regional elections dismissed.

Attorney for Moore Mayo Robinson indicated to the Court that he will be filing an appeal in the Appellate Court.

Grace Moore on March 20 had filed an injunction in the High Court, blocking GECOM from carrying out a request made by His Excellency President David Granger and agreed to by opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo, for a recount of all votes cast in all ten administrative regions of Guyana in the General and Regional Elections.

The Head of State had sought assistance from Chair of CARICOM Hon. Mia Mottley to supervise the national recount to bring an end to doubts and questions from local and international observers about the credibility of the results of Region Four.

In her application and arguments by attorneys, Moore has argued that the decision by the elections commission is unconstitutional.