…few hiccups, voting process smooth

AFTER a hiatus of more than two decades, members of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force and Guyana Prison Service on Tuesday kick-started voting in the historic Local Government Elections.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that for the most part, the voting process was “flawless”. Divisional Commander of ‘A’ Division Clifton Hicken and Chairman of the Joint Services Commission, Brigadier Mark Phillips both spoke of the security arrangements for the day’s balloting.
Moments after casting his ballot at the Brickdam Police Station, Hicken told this publication that his division had approximately 15 polling stations with several ballot boxes. He stressed that all necessary arrangements were in place for the remaining of the day to ensure that the process is smooth and for police ranks to vote and then return to their place of work to continue with normal policing responsibilities.
In his remarks after voting, Brigadier Phillips also spoke of security arrangements for the remainder of the day. He expressed confidence that the day’s proceedings would go smoothly. Brigadier Phillips also noted that all security mechanisms are in place for March 18 when the rest of the electorate will cast their ballot.

He said that ranks and commanders have been properly briefed and there were several meetings and engagements held in the past to ensure that the process is executed without any form of chaos or disruption.
Phillips did not speak on the strength of the joint services on that day but referred questions in that regard to the Commissioner of Police as it is the Guyana Police Force which would be in the forefront to ensure that law and order is maintained while the army would be there as a backup when necessary.
Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud and Director of Prisons, Carl Graham also cast their ballots Tuesday morning at the Guyana Police Force

Officers Mess Hall, Eve Leary and Guyana Prison Service Officers Sport Complex at Camp Street, respectively. Meanwhile, Charge d’ Affaires of the United States Embassy, Bryan Hunt was present at the Brickdam Police Station where he observed the process. He did not comment on the process, noting that it was too early to do so. Local Government Elections was last held in Guyana in 1994.

Slow but sure
Meanwhile, in Linden servicemen registered to vote made good of their democratic right to elect a representative for their respective constituencies. The process was described as slow by Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) staff attached to the Mackenzie and Wismar polling stations. When

Guyana Chronicle visited the Mackenzie Police Station there was inactivity in the voting area and the same was the case at the Wismar Police Station. At around 10:30h only 16 out of 92 officers had casted their votes at Mackenzie while five out of 23 had casted their votes at Wismar. The staff said that at that time even though the process was slow at both ends, there was still adequate time for the remaining officers to cast their vote.
In an invited comment, Commander of E’ Division Calvin Brutus told Guyana Chronicle that the process was conducted smoothly with little hiccups at the various polling stations in the division, including Mabura,

Kwakwani and Ituni. He said that officers were transported to their respective voting districts to cast their votes. Guyana Chronicle was told that some officers were not given the opportunity to vote as their names were not on the list, however GECOM staff said that this

minor issue can be easily sorted out since those officers can vote on March 18th.
In Linden there are eight constituencies and four groups contesting the elections. These include APNU-AFC, PPP, and Ambassadors for Progress and Linden 2025. There is also an independent candidate, Mr. Uburn Smith, who was nominated to represent constituency six. Linden’s municipality was manned by an Interim

Management Committee since 2003 under the stewardship of Orin Gordon as Chairman. The residents are in dire need of a change since it is believed that the town’s development is stagnated as a result of this break down in democratic renewal.