GECOM Secretariat in full preparation for recount as Commission awaits CARICOM arrival

The Commission met this morning and according to Commissioner Vincent Alexander, the secretariat has already started training of staff members and preparations are underway at the recount venue, the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

GECOM Secretariat in full preparation for recount as Commission awaits CARICOM arrival

The Secretariat of the Guyana Elections Commission has moved ahead with full preparation for the recount of votes as the Commission awaits the arrival of the CARICOM High-Level team that will be part of the process.

The Commission met this morning and according to Commissioner Vincent Alexander, the secretariat has already started training of staff members and preparations are underway at the recount venue, the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

He said once the CARICOM team’s arrival is confirmed by the CARICOM Secretariat, the date for the start of the recount will be made known. He said CARICOM is still to make known the arrival time for its team.

“I think that, and this is just my opinion, that we will be able to commence a day or two after their arrival”, Alexander said.

He noted that the Commission is still looking at a 25-day duration for the completion of the recount.

The CARICOM team has already been granted clearance to arrive on a special chartered flight and that flight is expected tomorrow.

On the issue of the readiness of the secretariat, Alexander reminded that the Elections Commission that is now being lambasted by some in the public had completed a number of successful elections and praised for doing so.

CARICOM High Level Team

Mr. Alexander indicated that today’s meeting also saw Commissioners from the other side again trying to raise issues that were already addressed by the Commission and settled. He said the issue of livestreaming of the recount process was raised again with two letters being received from the Private Sector Commission and private TV station, TV G 28.

Alexander explained that the PSC is now requesting that the recount be livestreamed only to Observers who may not be able to be part of the recount, but some Commissioners have already expressed concern about that since they would have no control over who the video would be distributed to once the livestream begins.

Opposition nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj told reporters that the GECOM Secretariat has indicated its readiness for the recount. He noted that there will be a meeting and walk through with stakeholders so that the process could be explained to them.

On the issue of safety measures being put in place for the recount based on the advice of the Public Health Ministry in wake of coronavirus concerns, Mr. Gunraj said the Secretariat has not indicated any worry about the systems that will have to be in place.

The Commission is expected to meet again once CARICOM confirms the arrival time for its team.

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