VOTING in Linden and communities on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway experienced little to no hiccups on election day as Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) officials and political party agents worked efficiently to ensure the voting process at each polling station was smooth.

Based on this publication’s observations, voters were up at the crack of dawn, ensuring that they reached their respective polling stations when it opened at 06:00hrs. After casting their ballot, they promptly exited the polling station and went about their normal activities.

Absent were the long lines of the past, a direct result of a hassle-free, well-organised system this time around.

Overall, voters said it took only a few minutes to get in and out of the polling station, and it was welcoming, since differently abled persons, the elderly, first-time voters and others took the time to complete the process despite the humid conditions.

Stretching from Central Mackenzie to Wisroc, Wismar Shore/Riverview, Christiansburg, Half Mile, One Mile, Silvertown, Watooka, Siberian, Coomacka Mines, Victory Valley, Harmony, Burnham Drive and other areas, the voters came out to vote. The majority of them had completed the voting process by midday.

At Half Mile Primary School in Wisroc, Anthony Bailey proudly held up his inked finger, shortly after voting. He was outside the polling station with some friends when this publication spoke to him. He used the opportunity to encourage others to vote before the polls closed at 18:00hrs.

Donna Perry, APNU’s Assistant Agent, was out and about providing guidance, and pointing voters to their respective polling stations. She was at Harmony Secondary School in Wismar where there wasn’t a crowd.

Residents, along with those living nearby, came, voted and left, Perry said.

Meanwhile, along the Highway, at Bamia, Region 10, voters also went out early to vote, and that process was also glitch-free, according to the reports reaching this publication.

At Silver Hill, residents exercised their constitutional right to vote at the Silver Hill Nursery School, where there was orderly voting. This publication also observed that there were no long lines or a crowd.

Derick Kissoon, who was based at a polling station under a tent set up at Silver Hill Nursery School, supervised all that was happening at that location.

Transportation was available for voters of that community, which is geographically located in both Regions Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), and at settlements such as Long Creek, Loo Creek, Kairuni, Silver Hill, Dalgin and Adventure, voting was simplified and normal.

At Yarrowkabra, also on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, voters were in and out within minutes.
Several of them told the Guyana Chronicle that the voting process was easy.

Voter Uroy Lavoroux said he was a bit nervous, but it was a guided process made simple. He said he followed the instructions, and everything went well.

He displayed an inked right index finger signalling he had completed the voting process.

Many Indigenous natives who live along the highway braved the heat to get to the polling station to vote. This publication spoke with several of them who said the voting process was normal. They had to walk long distances to get from their home to their polling place.