…commission to return today to further deliberate on proposal
By Svetlana Marshall
CHIEF Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission, Keith Lowenfield, in his draft operational plan for a national recount, has indicated that the process would take 156 days –- a proposal which has been rejected, in part, by opposition-nominated commissioners.
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), headed by Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, was presented with the draft operational plan on Wednesday, and while the opposition-nominated commissioners have objected to the proposed timeframe, the draft work-plan, the Guyana Chronicle was told, is in keeping with decisions of the commission.
In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, GECOM’s Public Relation Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward indicated that the chief elections officer drafted the plan based on the approved decisions of the commission. Importantly, she said the draft operational plan for a national recount of all the votes cast at the March 2 General and Regional Elections was presented to the commission for its consideration, during which amendments could be made.
“Though cognisant that the 156 days proposed for the activity may be quite a lengthy duration in the present circumstance, the secretariat had to consider matters of law in relation to the procedures to conduct a recount; approved decisions of the commission and the current COVID-19 pandemic affecting the health situation of the population,” Ward later explained in a press statement.
In drafting the plan, Ward said, the CEO took into consideration the various requests tabled by the commission that would allow the process to be as transparent as possible. “…[The] secretariat considered the request by the commission for each ballot to be projected on screen, examination of the contents of the ballot box i.e., ascertaining the number of electors on the list, the number of electors who voted, counting votes cast for both General and Regional Elections and validation of spoilt, questioned and rejected ballots,” she explained.
Based on those and other factors, the CEO estimated that it will take approximately two hours to count one ballot box. In his proposed workplan, he suggested that there be a total of three work stations operating simultaneously for a period of 10 hours daily (9:00hrs – 19:00hrs) at a central location. There are a total of 2,339 ballot boxes; however, the number of ballots in each box varies based on the voting population of each area. These are the factors that led him to arrive at the 156- day proposed plan.
Notwithstanding the CEO’s line of reasoning, opposition-nominated Commissioner Robeson Benn expressed major objection shortly after the meeting of the commission ended.
“I am telling you, fundamentally, in no way, shape or form, should we have been provided with a document, which gives that type of duration,” Benn told reporters outside of GECOM’s headquarters on Wednesday.
While the CEO has said that the draft operational plan was drafted based on the decisions of the commission, Benn believes that the commission’s instructions have been misinterpreted by GECOM’s secretariat. “I think we are still in the realm of being misled, misinterpreted and that the secretariat itself is not being helpful,” he contended, noting that a “simple recount” should not take 156 days to execute.
His colleague Sase Gunraj also expressed concern over the timeframe proposed, but said the commission has committed to having the proposal amended. “I can confirm that the plan envisages completion in 156 days, and I would want to reject that out of hand. This nation cannot survive a 156-day wait, but like I said we intend to rework it,” he told reporters.
From his point of view, the national recount should take one week to execute. “This has to be done in a matter of days, days; this country has waited long enough,” he lamented, noting that it could be accomplished if the recount is diligently executed.
Unethical
Ward, however, said GECOM’s secretariat finds the position taken by the commissioners unethical. “The secretariat finds the comments by the commissioners absurd, distasteful and unethical, particularly since they are aware that the proposal considered the decisions of the commission and its content is still being discussed for finalisation,” Ward said.
While the opposition-nominated commissioners stated their objection, government-nominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander declined to divulge critical information about the plan on the grounds that it is under discussion. “Commissioner Gunraj has asked for time to study and rework the plan. In that context, I think as a matter of principle that we shouldn’t discuss that plan; we should allow the system to work,” he said when approached by reporters.
Pressed for answers, Alexander said the operational plan is simply a draft tabled for discussion. “Nothing in the plan is final. It is under discussion,” he emphasized.
Alexander declined to indicate whether he believes the timeframe given is reasonable but said, “The man did not pick 156 out of the air. He would have had some basis on which he arrived at 156. The first instance, he determined how long it takes to count a box, that is his basis.” The commission will meet today at 09:00hrs to continue deliberation on the proposed operational plan for the national recount.
Clear directions
The CEO drafted the operational plan after receiving clarity from the commission on Monday. When the decision was taken by the commission last Friday (April 3) to proceed with the national recount, Lowenfield had asked for clear directions on the process to be employed. It was based on those directions,that he drafted the plan.
Some of the core issues included the conduct of the recount, the extent at which it will be carried out and the role of the commission in resolution of disputes arising out of the process. The commission also considered the reporting mechanism that would be employed following the tabulation of votes at the level of the polling station. In normal circumstances, information generated is recorded on Statements of Poll (SoP) following the tabulation of the ballots; however, in this case, the information would be recorded on a document with features similar to that of a SoP.
Given that the modalities are still being worked out, commission has not approved a commencement date; however, it has indicated that the recounting of votes cast would be conducted in chronological order, that is, from Region One to Region 10.
GECOM took a decision to facilitate a national recount after it was alleged that the tabulation of SOPs in Region Four –- the country’s largest voting bloc –- was flawed.
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_04_09_2020