MEMBERS of the Joint Services yesterday turned out en masse to cast their ballots for the political party of their choice in the historic General and Regional Elections of 2015.

Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips; Director of Prisons, Mr Welton Trotz; and Commissioner of Police, Mr Seelall Persaud, led the process at their respective polling places.

Following spot checks made at the Guyana Police Officers’ Mess Hall at Eve Leary, the Guyana Prison Service Sports Club facility at Camp Street, and the Guyana Defence Force Headquarters at Camp Ayanganna, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Donald Ramotar, spoke with the media yesterday, describing his visits as being in keeping with his routine at elections time.

He said he was pleased with the systems he saw in place to facilitate the ranks voting, and added that, even before he had been a presidential candidate, he had always tried to visit as many polling stations as possible on voting day.

“I am very happy that all places that I have been to in the Army compound, Police headquarters and the Prisons, everything seems to be going smoothly and very (well). So I am happy about that, and I hope that it will continue and go into the General Elections on May 11,” the President commented.

The Guyanese Head of State was accompanied on his visits to the polling stations by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive Dr. Frank Anthony, and by PPP/C Commissioner on the Guyana Elections Commission, Mr Sase Gunraj.

Asked about preparations to fully outfit joint services’ ranks with the necessary gear and resources while they are in-lying during elections day, the President said everything is positive.

He explained that he has thus far not received any adverse report from the heads of the disciplined services, and as such he is convinced that everything is going as the heads envisaged, and that things are going according to plan.

Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips, in an invited comment shortly after casting his ballot, said that based on the reports he received early in the morning from his various GDF bases, the soldiers were all ready and excited to exercise their franchise and constitutional right.

He explained that, up to the point that he entertained the questions from this newspaper, there had been no report that anything had gone wrong at any polling station.

He pointed out that all polling stations of the Guyana Defence Force were opened on time.

Phillips declared: “The Joint Services’ voting will be the most peaceful voting, setting the example for the country, come May 11.”

Director of Prisons, Mr Welton Trotz, who voted at the Guyana Prison Service Sports Club facility on Camp Street, said, after casting his ballot, that most of the day’s proceedings, to the point when he had entertained our questions, were perfect. He did, however, point to a slight delay in the start of voting at the Lusignan Prisons, which he said had been due to an issue with a bunch of keys which facilitate access to the polling area. He said, however, that all other areas opened for polling on time.

He opined that most of his ranks should be finished voting early yesterday, as most of them reside in close proximity to the prison facilities.

Trotz further explained that what they did was to allow those who were on shift to vote first, by being relieved to vote then immediately returning to their respective posts to make way for others who had to be relieved to vote.

Those who were not on duty were expected to show up at the polling places at their own time during the course of the day yesterday, but obviously before the close of polls.

The Director of Prisons noted that, for example, most of the persons who are working at the Mazaruni Prisons were living on Mazaruni, so they were expected to complete their voting exercise by 16:40hrs.

This publication was unable to secure a comment from Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud yesterday. He did say in a previous interview that all logistics to deal with the security arrangements for elections day and the pre- and post- periods were in place, and had been tried and tested.

He had also indicated that the Police were trained and ready to respond to any unrest or unlawful activities that aim to disrupt the peace.

Police ranks also voted yesterday at the Brickdam Police Station and at other sub-divisional headquarters within ‘A’ Division, even as most of the senior officers from the division cast their ballots at the Brickdam Police Station.

‘A’ Division Commander Clifton Hicken, when approached for a comment, told the Chronicle that all arrangements were put in place in terms of the standard operating procedures; and that, before 05:00hrs, ranks had been posted and placed in position at places that were to be used as polling stations within the division.

Hicken lauded the coordination of the Guyana Elections Commission and the Observer Missions. He said that, by 05:30 hrs, all persons manning polling stations had been in place. He also stated that some of the stations did not commence operating directly at six yesterday.

By Leroy Smith

(Adrian Narine and Delano Williams photos)