BALLOT papers printed in Canada, to be used at the upcoming General and Regional Elections, were slated to have arrived in the country at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), in the wee hours this morning, at around 1:45 am. The shipment of ballot papers were brought over in the company of two Commissioners from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Messrs Charles Corbin and Sase Gunraj, who were in Canada overseeing the printing of ballot papers.
Under heavy security, the shipment was slated to be transported to a secure location.
Some $66.8M for the procurement of the ballot papers, as well as sensitive materials, to be used by GECOM at the upcoming polls were approved by Cabinet last Tuesday, April 14. The other sensitive materials to be procured include ink, ballot boxes, security seals and such like.
This is the second contract green-lighted by Cabinet for the procurement of Election Day materials. In early January, a contract worth in excess of $35.2M for the procurement of sensitive materials for GECOM was also approved.
Meanwhile, in a prior comment, GECOM Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally was emphatic in declaring the Commission’s readiness for the General and Regional Elections.
“There is nothing to stop us now,” he told the Guyana Chronicle. Dr Surujbally added, “The non-sensitive materials are here [in GECOM’s possession].”
Sensitive and non-sensitive materials are dispatched to the various districts prior to Election Day. Sensitive materials including ballot boxes are checked, labelled and properly secured in respective containers. Private security is arranged to attend to the containers.
Members of the disciplined forces will be voting this weekend, May 2, while the rest of Guyana head to the polls on May 11.
(Vanessa Narine)