Presidential candidates call for peace – urges supporters to accept final results

Leaders of four political parties yesterday called for calm as the country awaits the results of Monday’s General and Regional Elections.
The Presidential Candidates urged their supporters to accept the results which are expected to be announced by today.
Representing their respective parties at an emergency press briefing were Donald Ramotar of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic; David Granger of A Partnership for National Unity; Khemraj Ramjattan of the Alliance for Change and Peter Persaud of The United Force.
The appeals were made at a historic forum which was organised by the Guyana Elections Commission, through its Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally.
While all the leaders agreed that the delay in announcing the results of the elections was undesirable, they implored that the nation comes first and violence will only retard progress.
During the briefing, the PPP/C’s Donald Ramotar informed that his party has withdrawn the request for a recount of ballots in three regions.
This was primarily to facilitate a speedy release of the final results.
Anxiety and tension throughout the period immediately after the closing of poll had reached fever pitch, and members of the security forces were deployed to prevent any unrest.