…as thousands cast ballots in Region three

JUST over 100,000 voters were scheduled to vote in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara Region at Monday’s elections, an increase of 16, 240 voters from the 2015 polls when the region recorded a 73.5 per cent voter turnout.

Of the 13 parties contesting in the elections across the country, only eight contested the general elections and five contested the regional elections, in this region. The voters were scheduled to vote across 355 polling stations stretching from Vive-La-Force on the West Bank Demerara to Parika on the West Coast, it also included voters at the Wakenaam and Leguan Islands in the Essequibo River.

Among the 100, 758 voters was presidential candidate for the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) Irfaan Ali, who was reported to have voted at the Leonora Technical Institute on the West Coast Demerara, early in the day, accompanied by his wife. Despite several attempts by the Guyana Chronicle to speak with Ali during the course of the day to get his perspective on voting in the region, the presidential candidate continuously informed that he was too busy to speak with the newspaper, notwithstanding continuous promises to do so eventually. A final attempt was made at 20:00hrs when a representative informed Ali was on a call.

Also voting in the Region was presidential candidate for the United Republic Party, Dr. Vishnu Bandhu, who, during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle at his Vreed-en-Hoop headquarters, shared that he had some concerns with certain systems put in place by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) both in Region Three and across the country. Bandhu was among the early voters when he voted at the Vreed-en-Hoop Primary School, where he did not feel enough thought was given to the arrangement of polling stations, and provision of adequate staff at the polling place.

“I am very dissatisfied with seeing the way GECOM arranged things. The downstairs in a big school was empty. They sent these people upstairs to vote and you have a vacant flat downstairs. Going upstairs, the girl checking the name had everyone flocked around her, there was no order, and she complained that she was alone there to do it. I went in the section where you have to vote, it took ten minutes for one person to vote,” Bandhu complained.

With 1278 voters scheduled to vote there, the Vreed-en-Hoop Primary School was one of the Region’s busier polling places. It was divided into four polling stations. Voters, for the most part throughout the day, were peaceful and upbeat about exercising their democratic right, with many first-time voters and senior citizens excitedly turning out. “The vote very nice today, everything was so peaceful and quiet. They treat me very nice, can’t complain. I get assistance from the policeman and so to go up the steps. Came out with my wife, family them and all, we came out and vote together,” shared 65-year-old Sadeik Baksh, who, despite needing assistance to move around, ensured he came out.

Baksh voted at a polling station at the Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary School. At the Tuschen Primary School, 83-year-old Sumintra (only name) also needed some assistance to get to her polling station, but was determined that she would. First-time voters, 20-year-old, Deckye Marshall, and 19-year-old Naresh Jagmohan from Crane on the West Coast, were happy to be out at the Crane Primary School to cast their votes, and shared their hopes that other young people across the country were ensuring that they did same. “I feel nice. It was easy, easy,” Marshall expressed.

Regional polling agent for the A Partnership of National Unity+ Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), John Adams, reported that he was satisfied, for the most part, with how voting went in the Region. “Well, the process started very smoothly, with minor hiccups. Voter turnout in APNU strongholds were high but as the day got older, the PPP was up to their dirty tricks and that caused some confusion. The people mobilized. Voting is now closed and we are awaiting tabulations,” Adams shared.

Though voting was mostly peaceful throughout the day in the Region with moderate lines at most polling stations, in the early afternoon protest broke out at a polling place in Goed Intent on the West Bank of Demerara, as allegations spread of a situation where a representative for Change Guyana, Demitrios Howard, reported that while there were some instances during the day where observed certain situations which GECOM could improve on as they allow citizens to carry out their franchise.

“There is room for improvement in a few areas. I am not totally satisfied but I am confident that if we come together to sort out certain issues, it can be handled in a professional manner. I don’t think enough was done for pregnant and persons who had children with them. A little bit more preference should have been given,” Howard shared.

Change Guyana, APNU+AFC, URP and the PPP/C, along with the People’s Republic Party (PRP) were the only parties in Region Three that contested both the general and regional elections, being the only parties that contested in the regional elections. The Citizen’s Initiative (TCI), A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and The New Movement (TNM) contested the general elections only in this region. TCI and TNM reported that they did not have any party agents in this Region.