208 ballot boxes counted in five days
—GECOM reports smooth process
DPI, Guyana, Sunday, May 10, 2020
Five days into the national recount of all the votes cast in the March 2, General and Regional Elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) today saw the completion of 208 ballot boxes.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of GECOM Yolanda Ward reported that today’s tally shows the completion of 11 boxes for Region One, 10 for Region Two, 17 for Region Three and 13 for Region Four.
With the smooth flow of things, the afternoon also saw the tabulation of some 190 Statements of Recount (SOR) for the General Elections and 180 for Regional.
“We have had no major issues today, we continue to engage stakeholders. based on decisions made by the commission that are based on their objections. We have had no major issues but we continue to have an engaged process.”
Ward said some of the smaller parties have requested a meeting with the commission to raise some issues they have. That meeting is scheduled for Monday.
GECOM is also working on getting sign language personnel to be on-screen during the live audio and video broadcast of the tabulation process. The agency said it intends to deliver a transparent process to all of Guyana.
Commissioners will also continue to meet daily to address issues that may arise during the recount.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Desmond Trotman addressed the issue of cell phone use during the recount at work stations. He said party agents have been engaging in the recording of the process when the commission did not agree to such.
“We agreed that when the count is completed that all of the agents will sign on to the SOR and when they receive their copies they can take pictures of their copies. But they have been taking photographs of when they go to sign the SOR form”
He said the commission wants all parties to be satisfied with the process, hence the allowance for them to use their cell phones to take the photographs.
He reiterated that the recount exercise will ascertain the trueness of the votes cast in the elections.
“What we are currently engaged is not only a recount but to ascertain, by looking at the box, to see what comes out. As the boxes come out, all agents are there to say what is there and what is not. It will help us ascertain how credible the elections were,” Trotman told the media.
The national recount continues tomorrow at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).