Signatories to the Herdmanston Accord – Your Excellency, Leader of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic and Leader of the People’s National Congress;
Leaders of the Other Political Parties;
Mr. Secretary-General;
Chairman of the CARICOM Audit Team, Justice Ulric Cross;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Other Distinguished Guests;
Members of the Media;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We may wish to recall that, on January 17, 1998, the Leader of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, the Leader of the People’s National Congress and Sir Henry Forde, representing the Caribbean Community, signed an agreement, subsequently referred to as the “Herdmanston Accord”. That Agreement commits the signatories to implement a number of measures aimed at contributing to the resolution of certain problems arising from the December 15, 1997 Guyana General Elections.
It is in pursuance of the implementation of that Agreement that we are gathered here today.
One of the most important measures set out in that Accord is the undertaking of an independent enquiry to be carried out under CARICOM auspices in two stages. The first involves “an urgent review of the due process of the count on and after 15 December 1997 (including the role of the Elections Commission) to be completed within three months of 17 January 1998 with a view to ascertainment of the votes cast for the respective political parties”.
The second stage is “an audit of systemic aspects of the electoral process including the post-balloting phase”
The CARICOM Audit Team, which was selected after consultation with all political parties, arrived in Guyana on 17 March and commenced its task without delay. It completed its task by 31 May, that is, after some 10 weeks.
I am most pleased to be here today to participate in the process of the transmission of its Report to the relevant parties. In that regard, I wish to recall the relevant provisions of the Electoral Audit (CARICOM Agreement) Act of 1998, which provided the legal basis for the establishment of the Audit Team.
Today, our specific task is to give effect to the provisions of paragraph 17 of that Act which states that:
“On the completion of each stage of the Audit, the Chairman of the Audit Commission shall cause a copy of the Audit report pertaining to that stage to be transmitted to each of the political parties contesting the elections as well as to the Secretary General of CARICOM for transmission to the Chairman of CARICOM and other Heads of Government of CARICOM Countries.”
It is with deep satisfaction that I would soon be inviting Justice Ulric Cross, Chairman of the Audit Commission to discharge that responsibility in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Before doing so however, allow me to make a few comments arising from the process through which we have been over the last five months or more.
First of all there is no denying that the issue is a very serious one for Guyana and for the Caribbean Community. Anyone who thinks otherwise should be elsewhere! It is therefore of utmost importance that everyone – whatever their political persuasion recognise the urgency of finding a solution to the current impasse.
Secondly, while there is no denying the serious nature of the problem there is also equally no denying the fact that all parties have contributed to the maintenance of an atmosphere in which the Audit Team was able to undertake its work with minimum distraction. I believe that this is a cause for congratulations to all. Moreover I must remind all parties of the commitment of the signatories to accept the findings of the Audit.
We, and I stress the we, have therefore definitely made a start, and the Caribbean Community is not only pleased to have been part of it, but is also hopeful that this start signals a determination to go all the way to a “lasting solution”.
The other two key steps towards that lasting solution, as set out in the Herdmanston Accord are the process of constitutional reform and the inter-party dialogue. CARICOM reaffirms its commitment as enshrined in the Herdmanston Accord to be at the disposal of the Guyanese people to assist in any way possible in progressing through these further stages.
Thirdly, I cannot thank too highly the CARICOM Mission of three Eminent Persons who were instrumental in initiating this process by brokering the Accord. It is a sign of our growing maturity that regional problems can now be settled regionally. This development is also evidenced by the Audit Team headed by the distinguished Justice Cross and comprising an outstanding group of regional electoral experts. They must be commended for the professional manner in which the Team undertook the critical task which was assigned to it. I am sure that Guyana and the entire Region are deeply indebted to the members of that Team.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it would have been impossible for CARICOM to have contemplated the undertaking of this exercise without the contribution of our Secretariat. Their role in the entire process could not have been more critical. It is what we have come to expect of them in so many fields and we extend to them once again our thanks and appreciation. Likewise our success owes much to the quick response and strong support of the UNDP and of those Governments that contributed to its capacity.
My colleague Heads of Government, especially those who found it possible to personally visit in solidarity in this period, did not fail in their commitment to the search for a solution acceptable to all Guyanese. Their undertaking to remain at the disposal of the Guyanese people reflects this determination.
None of the parties however deserves greater congratulations than you the people of Guyana who notwithstanding being central to the problem, have been able to maintain a climate conducive to the finding of a lasting solution. When the history of this period of your national development is written it would not be possible to belittle the contribution which the people of Guyana, among whom we cannot fail to mention Mr. Hugh Cholmondeley, and their leaders, would have made to the overcoming of a major national problem and to the building of a sound foundation for a viable future for all its peoples.
It is for these many reasons that I see the Ceremony here today as opening the door to that future, based on a foundation of which it can truly be said that while others did help, it is the people of Guyana who would have achieved.
I am therefore happy to now invite the Chairman of the Audit Team, the Hon. Justice Ulric Cross “to cause to have transmitted” to the political parties a copy of the Report of the Audit undertaken by the Team of which he was the Chairman! Justice Cross.
