…delay declaration of elections results
WHILE the declaration of Statements of Poll (SOPs) from the majority of the Administrative Regions went unhindered, there were some challenges in far-out Regions related to weather and administrative issues which caused delays in timely Elections 2020 results.
Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield told the media on Tuesday morning at a press briefing that the process has been “painfully slow” but the Commission was working to have the elections results declared in the “soonest possible time”.
For results to be declared, Presiding Officers (POs) at various polling places must conduct a verification process whereby votes are counted, compared and the total verified with Polling Agents and Counting Agents. This is followed by the declaration of the results by the PO and the posting of SOPs outside of the polling stations for all to see. A package of these same results is then delivered to the Deputy Returning Officer (DRO), for transmission to the Returning Officers (ROs) and CEO.
When the CEO receives these SOPs, he verifies the information and adds it to the tabulation of votes in each Region. As of noon on Tuesday, Lowenfield said that challenges at the verification level prevented his timely receipt of a large number of SOPs. “In some instances, we started and particularly the Counting Agents of some parties were not armed with their own statements from their parties. So, we’ve had some delays and we will continue today to bring closure to the entire exercise that will allow for a declaration of the results in all of the districts today,” he said. “Once that declaration is made, it affords parties the opportunity to have an examination of those declarations that will facilitate their need–if be — for recounts to be done.”
HIGHLIGHED CHALLENGES
In Region One (Barima – Waini) where there are 99 polling stations and 18,952 electors, this process started in the town of Mabaruma on Monday evening and the statements for sub-region one could not be transported due to weather conditions. “We did not trust the low water in the river in the Waini, so those statements from the beach and so on, we’re utilising the medium of an aircraft to take those statements to the Returning Officers office and for sub-region three…that is completed today.”
In Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) where there are 99 polling stations and 18,952 electors; Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) where there are 135 polling stations and 37,979 electors, this process was completed. Lowenfield said then that approximately 93 per cent of the SOPs for Region Three were received.
There are 879 polling stations and 285,618 electors in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). While it was planned that the process would commence around 22:00hrs on Monday, “administrative issues” saw this commencement at 02:00hrs on Tuesday. There were about 400 SOPs outstanding in the Region at the time, primarily from all of the East Bank of Demerara (ECD) and part of the East Coast of Demerara.
The process was completed in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) where there are 158 polling stations and 44,663 electors. In Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), where there are 378 polling stations and 99,131 electors, the verification process was completed as of Tuesday morning. However, it was difficult for the Region’s RO to receive SOPs from Cashew Island, Canje Creek and some parts of the Corentyne River. “The night [Monday night] was pretty slothful as far as receipts,” he said.
Lowenfield reported, as of noon on March 3, that the process in Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) — only home to 82 polling stations and 14,887 electors — was started but not completed.
“I have received for Bartica Propper and for the riverine areas surrounding Bartica,” he said. “For the other part of Region 7, we have dispatched this morning a helicopter and in sub-region two, we have an aircraft that would have been moving from community to community to ensure the statements from the communities they’re transported to the office of the Returning Officer.”
The commission could, therefore, provide no preliminary results on the same at the mid-day press briefing. The CEO had also reported “treacherous” weather in Region 8 (Potaro-Siparuni) where there are 55 polling stations and 7,431 electors. However, a total of 34 SOPs were received from the town of Mahdia and its immediate environs.
“Today, we’re in the process – and as I indicated, the inclement weather there — so that we can tackle the North Pakaraimas to ensure that all the statements from that Region is collected,” he said. “We are hopeful that at the end of the day that we conclude the receipts of our statements from the North Pakaraimas.”
Over in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), there are 73 polling stations and 17,771 electors. An aircraft there has been under the command of the RO for the Region and it remains there to transport the SOPs. “Today, we are receiving in Region Nine. We have already departed to Gunns to ensure the statements from that village is collected. We’re in the move to ensure that the aircraft movement facilitates speed in the delivery of Statements of Polls. At the time of the press conference, the verification process was complete in Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
THE EFFORT TAKES TIME
“We’re in the process of bringing closure to the receipts of all these statements from all across Guyana, particularly in the far-flung areas. Once those statements are received, the ROs will ensure the verification process continues to ensure publicly the results of all of those stations are known to all and sundry and, at its conclusion, those declarations will be made and, no doubt, as the aircraft returns to the city, the statements for yours truly would have been delivered,” the CEO said.
He assured the public that GECOM is working to ensure that all administrative processes are conducted and that all agents from respective parties, observer groups and the media are involved in the verification of the district declarations.
Lowenfield had expected that all the declarations from ROs in the different Regions would be done by the end of Tuesday. Once the declarations are made, the law provides for up to noon on the following day for a period of recounts and once these are completed, if there are any material errors, the ROs are required to adjust and a second declaration made to the CEO. It is a combination of these declared results that form the official results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections.
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e_paper_03_04_2020