Residents on East Bank Demerara turned out in their numbers early Monday morning to cast their votes as they choose a new government and members to sit in the 65-seat legislature.
Voters line up at the Houston Secondary School
Barring reports of multiple voting at the Timehri Primary School, voting took place in an atmosphere of calm. Guyana Times International understands that some 26 persons had voted more than once at the different polling stations within the school.
In addition, a group of first time voters reportedly cast their votes incorrectly, and as such, they were labelled as spoilt ballots.
This had caused much disappointment and confusion as these voters claimed that they were not properly educated about the electoral process.
Members of the media were also barred from entering that polling place among others on the East Bank, and were instructed to stay as far as 200 yards away.
Voters, according to election agents, were out some two hours before the polls opened. At the Soesdyke Secondary School, 74-year-old Dharajeet Sukhu expressed satisfaction at this year’s electoral process in his area.
Over at the Soesdyke Primary School, Evelyn Prescott, 76, said she was happy with the smooth flow of voting there.
Further up at the Kuru Kuru Co-operative College on the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway, there were only a handful of voters when this publication arrived around 11:00h. About 36 students who were eligible to vote were flown back to interior locations where they reside to exercise their franchise.
First time voter, Travis January of Kuru Kururu related that his experience was an excellent one, adding that the voting process was challenging but nevertheless satisfactory.
“The challenging part was deciding who to vote for but I make my decision and I hope my choice comes out victorious,” the youth said. This publication was told at many polling stations that the younger people on the East Bank did turn out to vote as was expected.
However, 19-year-old Avinash Charran explained that he could not locate the polling station to vote, and after a few attempts, he decided to quit.
Another youth, Jamal Murray explained that he did not favour any of the political parties contesting the elections, noting that his group of friends felt the same way.
At Supply Primary School polling station, a senior citizen said that she had been anxiously waiting to exercise her franchise.
“This thing just rest on my mind, I couldn’t sleep, I was up all the time and as soon as I see 4:30h, I rush to the polling station, I had to get over it, I live in the street with this polling station and I was looking through my window all the time to see when the election officials coming,” 76-year-old Gladys Johnson of Herstelling said.
Another citizen expressed similar sentiments, adding that her tense feelings went away as soon she voted. “I was nervous, thinking all sorts of things but when I reach the polling station, all of that went away,” Diana Jones, a mother of three said.
Vanford Smith, 73, originally of Poomeroon said that it was his first time voting away from his village, as he now resides in Supply. He described the electoral process as organised and called for the new government to increase money provided to pensioners. Apart from this, he seemed quite happy.
Pamela Bascom of Kaneville, who voted at three previous elections, was excited after casting her ballot. She called for better wages, employment, new roads in her community and reduced taxes when the new government is elected. Also, throughout the villages, the differently-abled were also enthusiastic about voting, and in some cases, they were assisted by their relatives to exercise their franchise.
There were also reports of proxy voting at the locations.
At Diamond New Housing Scheme, this publication was told that a group of supporters from a particular political party were in the vicinity of the Diamond Secondary School, a polling place, trying to coerce voters to vote for their party.
Speaking with this newspaper, assistant election agent and People Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) executive Clinton Collymore said the party had received reports that voters were stopped before entering the polling station, and were psychologically pressured to mark their ‘X’ in support of the party in question.
He said that the vehicle also bore flyers and stickers while the occupants of the vehicles displayed their badges openly.
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