…Coalition defends lengthy scrutiny of boxes, PPP/C disagrees
…ANUG sees exercise going beyond 25 days
FORTY ballot boxes were counted on the second day of the National Recount bringing the total number of processed ballot boxes to 65 from a total of 2,339, Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Yolanda Ward, disclosed on Thursday.
It therefore means that 2,274 more ballot boxes are yet to be counted. At the close of operations at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre where the recount is unfolding, Ward told reporters that of the 40 boxes counted – nine were from Region One (Barima-Waini); 10 from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), nine from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and 12 from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
Started on time
Unlike the first day of the National Recount, in which several challenges arose resulting in a late start, Ward said, on Thursday, the recount started on time. “We had a very smooth process at the various stations,” the GECOM PRO reported, noting that the early start resulted in an increase number of ballot boxes counted.
There are a total of 10 workstations established at the Conference Centre to recount the ballots cast at the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections. In accordance with the operational plan and gazetted order, GECOM is tabulating the votes cast in Regions One, Two, Three and Four first and will proceed to count other regions upon the completion of the first three regions. Region 4 votes are being counted simultaneously due to the fact that it is the largest electoral block.
A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Agent and Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, said the recount process was executed on Thursday with minor hiccups. “Well this morning was better organised than yesterday (Wednesday) but of course one party did not have their keys again or their locks were not working…so they had to cut the locks on the East Bank container but we started on time,” Patterson said on Thursday when approached by reporters. He noted that once the ballot boxes where moved from the containers to the workstations, the process commenced with little delay.
Smooth operations
A New and United Guyana (ANUG) Representative, Attorney-at-Law Timothy Jonas, also reported that the process was smoothly executed on Thursday with the exception of a few minor hiccups. “It is a slow process but from what I saw from the room that I was in, the slowness of the process was because the process was slow not because of anybody,” Jonas said. He noted that the time taken to count a single box is influenced by the number of ballots within the box. It was noted that while some voting blocks are small others have more than 250 ballots within them. Elections Commission has set a 25-day duration to execute the recount, but Jonas said, based on the rate at which the boxes are being processed, the duration may need to be extended.
“I am concerned about the 25-day original plan because if you do the Math and you have 2,200 ballot boxes, even if we get 20-30 done a day, that still cannot be done within 25 days…so we have a mathematical issue here,” Jonas noted.
PPP wants more speed
But the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive Member, Anil Nandlall, complained bitterly about the rate at which the boxes are being processed. “Our biggest concern remains the pace at which the process is going at. We think that it is considerably too slow. At the end of today, only 40 boxes were completed and we saw again recurrent instances of stations being closed way before the scheduled 7pm, and that is unacceptable, we can’t continue at this rate,” Nandlall told reporters but said that significant progress was being made. He alleged that APNU+AFC agents are employing delaying tactics at the workstations resulting in a slow counting process. “There are unnecessary queries being raised,” he posited while pointing to the APNU+AFC.
Important concerns being addressed
But while PPP/C agents are alleging that the process is being dragged out and stalled due to what they consider as “unnecessary” queries, Ward said it is important for all concerns to be addressed. This, she posited, will add further transparency to the process. “We are at a recount exercise and like anything else people will have queries and so it is important whatever those queries are, [they] are adequately addressed,” she told the press.
Ward underscored the Elections Commission’s commitment to transparency. “We want to ensure that every person, every agent in the room is satisfied with whatever decision is taken at a respective workstation; so it therefore means if an issue needs to be ventilated to ensure that it comes to a conclusion that is agreed to by all, it must be done,” Ward made clear.
Not unnecessary
APNU+AFC Candidate, Ganesh Mahipaul also ruled out the contention that the APNU+AFC agents had a number of “unnecessary queries.” He said the task is a lengthy one and cannot be avoided. “This process is a lengthy process. It is slow because of the reconciliation that is necessary before you go into the one two three, one two three, and because you are scanning the ballots and you have to ensure that it is stamped with the six digits number; and you have to verify that the six digit number is across on all the ballots and you have to ensure that it is the same six digit number that is across on all the ballots; and you have to make sure that you see the ‘X’ and see the ‘X’ properly,” he explained.
Mahipaul maintained that the lengthiness of the process is by no means as a result of delaying tactics employed by any of the political parties. He said the process allows for transparency and credibility in accordance with the Constitution and Electoral Laws of the country.
“We from the APNU+AFC we stand solidly for credibility, accountability, and transparency, and that is why what is happening has to happen,” the APNU+AFC Candidate said. The National Recount is being observed by the parties that contested the General and Regional Elections in addition to local and international observers including the Organisation for American States (OAS), the Canadian High Commission, the CARICOM Scrutinizing Team, the Private Sector Commission and CUFFY 250 among others. Notably, there are strict security and COVID-19 measures in place.
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_05_08_2020