THREE hundred and forty six officers in the Essequibo Islands West Demerara Region turned out to vote on Friday, marking an overall 83 percent turnout rate for that Region, where Guyana Police Force officers voted across three polling places stationed at the La Grange Police Station, Leonora Police Station, and the Leguan Police Station.

With the smallest number of voters of the three, the Leguan polling station had the highest turn out rate where 90 percent of the 31 voters exercised their franchise in casting votes for the General and Regional Elections. The station covered officers from the Leguan Island and Wakenaam Island Police Stations.

Both the Leonora and La Grange stations each recorded 82 percent turnout rate.
The Leonora Polling Station had the highest number of voters, with 242 electors on that station’s list, which covered officers from the Leonora, Den Amstel, Parika Police Stations as well as the Tuschen and Bonasika outposts. When polls closed at 18:00hrs, 199 of the voters had cast their ballots.

At the La Grange polling station 145 voters were scheduled to mark their ballots, covering officers at police stations across sub-region 2, which included the La Grange, Vreed-en-Hoop, Parfait Harmonie, and Wales Police Stations. Of that number 119 came out. Armed with their identification cards, many of the officers queued up as early as 05:00hrs to exercise their franchise and ensure their vote was counted in Guyana’s General and Regional Elections. The officers did not need their identification cards to vote, but felt all the more secure having it.

Regional Commander, Simon McBean explained that: “We gave them the opportunity to vote early because we still have the normal police work to carry out during the day. We brought them in very early so that those that are coming in can have the opportunity to vote and then relieve the others to come and exercise their franchise.”

McBean himself voted around 09:00hrs and noted his joy to be a part of the process, and to see his officers follow suit. “As a member of the joint services and a member of the public I am proud and happy to participate in this most important process. Based on the feedback I’m seeing they [officers] are pleased to be here and pleased to be part of the process,” McBean shared.

McBean said that the elections season had been a calm one so far for the Region, with only one report in the region pertaining to politically-motivated criminal activity and that was thoroughly investigated.

Regional Crime Chief Troy Whittaker also commended the process, as he exited the polling station having cast his vote, also at Leonora. “It’s a process and a right, and so far no hiccup, everything smooth. As the day progresses I will be on the ground checking on staff because we don’t want anyone saying we disenfranchised anyone,” Whittaker said.
At the La Grange Police Station, the easy, and smooth voting was under the watchful eye of Officer in charge of the Station, Superintendent Raphael Rose, who led by example, ensuring that he was first in line to stain his finger when the doors officially opened at 06:00hrs.

“We have a few traffic ranks who have to go to the [Demerara Harbour] Bridge, so they went up and cast their votes first,” Rose noted.
Rose spent the early part of the morning coordinating and speaking with the officers, about those who will vote early and those who would come later in the day.
Second in line to vote at the La Grange Police Station was Dolcie Abrams who was very excited and passionate about ensuring that her vote was counted. “I’m finished, all done, it was very good, smooth process!” were Abrams comments after she walked out the polling station.

Despite being stationed at the Parika Police Station, Abrams explained that she was only recently transferred from the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station so she was scheduled to vote at La Grange instead of Leonora. A third time voter, she encouraged others to ensure they exercised their right. “I feel good about casting my vote for the third time. I think that we all need to come out and put our hands together and vote. I also encouraged my family to come out and vote elections day,” Abrams said.

Other police officers at that station commended how comfortable the process was. Attached to the Wales Police Station, young mother Lavette Clementson came early to vote as she wanted to have enough time to return home and prepare her two children for school before going to work for 08:00hrs.

Also from the Wales Police Station, 26-year-old Kevin Causeway who was voting for the second time at a General and Regional Elections, commended the efforts made to ensure ranks were encouraged to come out and mark their ballots. “Great efforts were made this time around as compared to the last time to ensure that police officers are out to cast their vote,” Causeway said.

Fifty-year-old Dhanraj Ramkissoon, who voted at Leonora, was among the more experienced voters, but nonetheless still happy about the process. “I vote steady. Since meh join this work, since 1995, I does vote early. Me vote got to count because that’s my right,” Ramkissoon affirmed.

First time voter, 21-year-old Budhram Rampertab was encouraged by the confidentiality of the process. “It’s secure, there’s nobody there to see when you cast your vote, so it’s straightforward, and personal to yourself. So when you fold your thing [ballot paper], nobody knows whatsoever [party] you voted for,” said Budhram, who is from Berbice.