– as GECOM gears up for elections

ON Sunday, hundreds of Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) temporary staff, for Elections Day, participated in mock polls across the country to ensure that election is smoothly executed on March 2, 2020.

Over at Christ Church Secondary, there were approximately 51 personnel gathered for training from 11 stations within the North and South Cummingsburg Division.

At the time this newspaper visited, the polling day staffs were going through the process on how to deal with voters without Identification (ID) Cards.

“No hiccups so far. We’re doing general mock polls and we’re doing it according to how they will be working on Elections Day,” Marlon Laing, Deputy Returning Officer (DRO) for South Cummingsburg, said.

Pointing to the team on stage at the time, he said the polling day staff was going through the steps of the voting process.

“They’re getting accustomed to their various roles and responsibilities. After the staff is appointed, we do continuous mock polls in terms of preparation,” Laing explained.

Still in Region Four and over at Lodge Secondary School, this newspaper was able to capture the process of how GECOM staff would deal with the mixing of ballots from members of the joint services, who voted on February 21, 2020.

There are over 100 temporary staff who will participate in the mock polls daily leading up to March 2, 2020.

In the school’s auditorium, DRO for Saint Sidwell’s Primary, Joslyn Frank, was seen assisting with organising the photographs of the temporary staff which would later be placed on identifying badges for elections day.

The badges will include the staff’s name, photograph, polling station, the signature of the individuals and the official approval signature of Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield.

“[This is] so that everybody can get a feel of their position so that they’ll know when it’s happening, how all the operations at the polling stations are actually being conducted,” Frank said.

The session was conducted by three DRO’s from the area inclusive of Frank, along with their Clerks.

By the time this reporter was leaving, the staff present were about to go through the process of the counting of ballots.

Added to this, GECOM Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward said, on Sunday: “We’re currently completing the packing of the ballot boxes in the headquarters compound and that should be wrapped up by tomorrow and other than that, we’re preparing all the time.”