After much criticisms, and following a meeting with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and a team from the People’s Progressive Party, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is backtracking on its unilateral decision to reduce the number of polling places.
This was communicated at the conclusion of the meeting on Tuesday. Jagdeo, together with People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate Dr Irfaan Ali, former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall and the party’s chief scrutineer, Zulfikar Mustapha, met with the Commission including its Chair, retired Justice Claudette Singh; Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield and foreign advisers Dr Syed Nasim Zaidi and Dr Afari Gyan.
When Jagdeo addressed the media outside of GECOM, he informed that they raised concerns about specific areas such as Mon Repos and Foulis on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) and Chesney village on the Corentyne. According to him, at least 12 additional polling places will be required.
Discriminatory
“We demonstrated how the changes has been made in a discriminatory manner. We pointed out that there are large numbers of polling places in APNU strongholds, both urban and rural areas and that the proposal that went to the Commission in January that was shared with the parties, had private residences.”
“And then these were adjusted by the CEO. He claimed that he had instructions from the Commissioners to reduce as many private polling residences as possible. So how is it they just reduced Polling Stations in PPP strongholds?” Jagdeo questioned.
According to Jagdeo, they provided GECOM with examples such as Golden Grove on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), which he said has six private residences with 2000 voters. In the case of Mon Repos, however, over 7000 voters only have two polling places.
“So, we said, they have to increase the number of polling places in these areas by four to six. We said we’re not telling you where to choose, but there has to be more polling places in Mon Repos to end the congestion that would inevitably happen.”
He explained that GECOM was also apprised of a situation whereby 2600 voters from Foulis have to go to the old Regional Democratic Council (RDC) compound in Paradise and the Paradise Primary School to vote. According to him, they need at least four more polling places in Foulis.
“It can be anything, they can even put up tents. But people have a right to vote in their own communities. This is discrimination, they have to move over two miles to vote in another area. And then, in two other areas, he said he [Lowenfield] didn’t see a problem with making the adjustments.”
“Friendship to Kildonian, one polling place there. And one on Chesney rather than moving them to another private residence all the way in Albion. So, the CEO was saying he could make all the adjustments with the Commissioners and then [GECOM Commissioner] Vincent Alexander said we cannot make that decision here, we have to discuss it.”
The decision
After Jagdeo and team left, the GECOM Secretariat continued with their meeting. At the end of that statutory meeting, GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj informed the media that a decision was taken to find ways to increase the number of polling places in these locations.
“I’m happy to report we took decisions that will resolve all those issues. I paid a visit to the Mon Repos Primary and Nursery Schools over the weekend. And you had a total of 18 Polling Stations in a fairly small place. Logistically, that would have created a nightmare.”
“In Mon Repos, additional polling places are being implemented [by GECOM]. There will not be that congestion. They will be moving some of the Polling Stations from those two schools to other locations,” Gunraj said, though he could not say if private residences or tents would be used.
According to Gunraj, these new locations will be determined by the CEO and will take into consideration the logistics of the area and the distance from which voters will have to travel. He confirmed, however, that all 12 additional polling places will be established.
“I am hoping and it is my personal belief, that the CEO can do that within 24 hours,” Gunraj said.
Since it was announced that GECOM would be reducing the number of polling places and specifically, private residences, the prevailing concern has been that instead of GECOM facilitating a smooth and easy process, the Secretariat’s decisions will make voting so difficult for voters that they will stay home.
