With just six days left before the country votes at the General and Regional Elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is racing to appoint new Presiding Officers (Pos) after a number of persons identified to serve in the post have declined the position.

The Chief Election Officer (CEO), Vishnu Persaud made the disclosure during a press conference on Monday at the Office of the Region 4 Returning Officer (RO) in Kingston, Georgetown.

Persaud told reporters that the Elections Secretariat has completed the assignment of polling day staff for the 10 electoral districts. However, it is now facing a new challenge with persons declining to take up the position of the Presiding officer.

“Some persons who have been identified, having met the criteria for appointments for different areas, presiding officer, assistant presiding officer, we have found that some persons are declining the appointment as presiding officer, and this has resulted in us now having to seek replacements,” the Chief Elections Officer said.

Persaud declined to disclose the number of positions to be filled, but assured that steps are being taken to fill the posts ahead of Monday’s Elections.

“We are trying to move personnel across polling station so that we can satisfy the human resource need to ensure that polling stations are adequately manned on elections day. I am not concerned that we would not be able to do this in a manner that will affect the operations of elections day,” Persaud said.

He said all Returning Officers, Deputy Returning Officers, Supernumerary Officers and Deputy Supernumerary Officers are in place.

Currently, those officers are engaging in the packaging of ballot boxes for the 10 electoral districts. The ballot boxes, according the Chief Election Officer, are being packed in the presence of polling agents from the various political parties in the interest of transparency.

Persaud said he does not foresee any hiccups, but should an issue arise, the Elections Secretariat is in a position to respond with alacrity.

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