GECOM ready for vote recount; Awaiting signed agreement between Granger, Jagdeo and CARICOM

The Guyana Elections Commission has made it clear that it is resolute in ensuring that the process is conducted to the satisfaction of all stakeholders so that the electoral process can be concluded within the shortest possible time.

GECOM ready for vote recount; Awaiting signed agreement between Granger, Jagdeo and CARICOM

The Guyana Elections Commission this afternoon said it has completed all the preparatory arrangements for the commencement of the national recount exercise as agreed to the President and Opposition Leader.

However, GECOM wants to see a signed agreement between the two leaders and CARICOM in place before the exercise could be operationalised.

The agreement between President Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo was reached over the weekend, but the Elections Commission only found out about it when the CARICOM Chairperson issued a press release.

That resulted in several meetings yesterday with the CARICOM high-level team that will overlook the recount. Meetings were also held with the GECOM Commissioners and terms of reference were worked out after President David Granger made it clear that CARICOM’s role must operate within the framework of the laws of Guyana.

This afternoon, the containers with the ballot boxes were transferred to the counting site at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre at Lilliendaal.

From early this morning, Commissioners and party reps and other officials were in place for the recount.

The Guyana Elections Commission has made it clear that it is resolute in ensuring that the process is conducted to the satisfaction of all
stakeholders so that the electoral process can be concluded within the shortest possible time.

The recount will begin with the Region Four ballots. There were 879 polling stations in Region Four. That means ballots from 879 ballot boxes will have to be counted before they move on to the other nine regions.

The Commonwealth and the Organisation of American States have all welcomed the move by CARICOM to be part of the recount process which was initiated by President David Granger.

Both bodies which had observer groups in place for the elections have indicated the importance of Guyana getting everything right with the elections.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login