PPP accused of voter intimidation at Corentyne polling stations
DPI, Guyana, Monday, November 12, 2018
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has been accused of voter intimidation at polling stations on the Corentyne, particularly.
Reports have surfaced that party representatives have been turning up at a number of polling stations, and while assisting persons to find their names on the voters’ list, have also been coaching them to vote for the party.
At the Whim/Bloomfield district, Alliance For Change (AFC) election agent, Rashree Permaul told DPI that she was forced to contact both the police and Returning Officer in that area to report the issue. She explained that around 8:00hrs today, PPP party representatives had turned up at the Auchlyne Primary School and were encouraging voters to “put your x here.”
The same report was shared by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) polling agent Lakeram Singh. He said has been visiting several polling stations in the Upper Corentyne area and have been receiving similar complaints about a high presence of PPP agents at the polling stations.
“What I have observed is that in certain areas the PPP party they have their campaign, those desks, close to the place of polls and that should not be in the first place,” he told DPI. He said too that he made a complaint to the Returning Officer whom he hopes would swiftly address the issue.
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) specifies that party agents be no closer than 200 yards to the polling station during the voting exercise.
Alexis Rodney.
Images Tejpaul Bridgemohan.