–GECOM Chair maintains biometrics cannot be introduced without constitutional reform

CHIEF Elections Officer (CEO), Vishnu Persaud has said that the June 12 Local Government Elections (LGE) met the expectations insofar as credibility is concerned.

“We have not received today, any single expression of complaint or concern that would pass doubt on the manner in which the elections were conducted,” Persaud said during a Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) press conference on Friday.

Noting that the elections were not hectic and ran its due course, Persaud related: “These elections would have met the expectations, especially insofar as the conduct of credible elections is concerned.”

Boasting about the timeliness of the opening and closing of the polling stations along with the declarations, he said: “To this end, I can give the assurance that with specific reference to elections day that all the logistical arrangements flowed smoothly….”

The CEO also commented on the fact that there were 11 accredited observer groups, with a total of 227 observers dispersed across the districts.

Persaud remarked: “It is important that I mention that local observers were accredited and more involved in monitoring the elections.”

While clearing up any misconception that GECOM is supposed to make a single declaration for the local government polls, the CEO said that this is only for General and Regional Elections and it is the duty of the returning officers from each Local Authority Area (LAA) to make their respective declaration.

Therefore, it would be 80 single declarations for local government elections as compared to a single declaration for the General and Regional Elections.

GECOM’s CEO then went on to say: “I want to make it clear where these elections were concerned, most of the declarations were made statutorily and publicly before midnight on June 12, and in a total way, the declaration of the results for all of the local government elections were made within 36 hours after the [closure] of polls.”

On the other hand, the subject matter of recounts was addressed by Persaud, to which he related that the Elections Commission did receive requests for recounts in the entire township of Mahdia, but this was withdrawn. There were also requests for recounts in Constituencies Four and Six in the municipality of Georgetown.

He remarked that the request for a recount in Constituency Six was facilitated but the one in Four was denied.

Persaud said: “It is important to point out that there were requests for recounts which obviously means that the [Returning Officer] could not have proceeded or conclude those declarations because the declaration would now have been subject to any new numbers,” highlighting the tie between the two main political parties, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in Mahdia and Bartica.

With the electoral process practically over, Chairperson of GECOM, retired Judge, Justice Claudette Singh, responded to regular protests by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) for the commission to produce a “clean” voters list and introduce biometrics.

“GECOM does not have legal parameters to do this,” Singh said, adding that the constitution is the supreme law.

She related that if the introduction of biometrics were to be considered, there would need to be constitutional reform.

The GECOM officials alluded to the fact that there are mechanisms in place to ensure that elections in Guyana are free and fair.

“At our polling station, there are mechanisms in place to verify one’s entitlement to be there and to cast their ballot,” Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Aneal Giddings said.