Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission(GECOM), Justice Claudette Singh,
having considered all the circumstances in light of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the requirement of social distancing, today decided that there should be no more than ten (10) work stations for the national recount of the ballots cast at the March 2, 2020 polls.
According to GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, Justice Singh noted that the number of work stations is subject to the availability of the requisite equipment and technology to display the ballots.
The chair also decide that each work station should tabulate its own results and that, for security reasons, all the work stations should be located inside the International Conference Centre building at Liliendaal.
Ward said the Chairperson has also written to Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo as the Chairman of the National COVID-19 Task Force, with some specific requests relative to the proposed working hours in light of the curfew and for guidance on the occupancy of the identified venue.
In this regard, the Prime Minister has since indicated that an urgent meeting of the task force would be convened to discuss same and a response to the specific requests would be provided shortly.
“The Commission intends to conclude its deliberations within the shortest time in order for the recount exercise to commence,”Ward said.
THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM), in its communication with Justice Singh, reportedly expressed concerns over the large number of persons that would be required for the execution of the National Recount, if the Commission considered using 20 workstations as proposed by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) nominated Commissioners. The concern was raised in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to maintain physical distancing to flatten the curve.
Justice Singh and the CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, have been in communication since April 14 on GECOM’s renewed position to execute a National Recount of all the ballots cast during the March 2 General and Regional Elections.
It was during their discourse on Thursday that CARICOM expressed concerns over the proposed 20 workstations. The Chair, who, at the time, was meeting with the Commissioners at GECOM’s headquarters, communicated CARICOM’s concerns to them.
A totoal of 2,339 ballot boxes are up for recount.
