Controversy erupts over integrity of ballot

GPSU elections

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has held it elections for office-bearers after the injunction stopping those proceedings had been dismissed by a High Court Judge on Thursday.
However, presidential hopeful Gregory Gaspar has expressed the view that, since a number of discrepancies had occurred during the day’s proceedings, the ballot might have been compromised to favour his opponent, Patrick Yarde.
“We got (a) report (that) in New Amsterdam there was some kind of rigging. Our persons who were there to observe (the counting of the ballot) were actually asked to leave, and (the) other (team’s members) were allowed to witness (the count). So we have knowledge that indeed there (was) some kind of rigging,” Gaspar told Guyana Times on Friday.
Gaspar said that up to late Friday evening, Elections Officer Hermon DeSouza was reportedly still looking for persons to count the ballot. “He (DeSouza) is not getting anyone to work. Everybody he asking is refusing, so he said that we don’t count any ballot today (Friday), but wait until (next) Wednesday; and when (I asked) him if he (would) be willing to put that in writing, he then (changed his position) and said it’s just a suggestion,” Gaspar informed.
He added that neither DeSouza nor his deputy, Gregory Mentore, was at GPSU Headquarters to receive the ballot boxes arriving from outlying areas. And this compromises the security of the boxes, since they were left in the care of staffers of the union, with no security.
Gaspar also voiced his concern about the ballot box from Linden, Region 10, since he claims that it was supposed to be back at headquarters since Thursday night, but never showed up until after 11:00 h on Friday.
He noted that the entire election process is shrouded in controversy, and he is of the view that there are deliberate efforts to sabotage his election.
Justice Nareshwar Harnanan had, on April 20, granted a temporary injunction blocking the elections after a motion had been filed by Gaspar. In that motion, Gaspar had alleged that the accounts of the union have not been audited for several years. However, the injunction was quashed on Tuesday when the union’s attorneys made submissions to the court; and the election was called on Thursday.
A rift has, over the past weeks, developed between the current executives of the GPSU and certain branches of the union over various issues, including President Patrick Yarde’s longstanding appointment to the post of Chairman of the GPSU and his inability to “effectively” represent union members; as well as issues relating to transparency and accountable.
Yarde has been serving at the helm of the Union for over 30 years, after consistently being re-elected to the post. However, some members are of the view that he is illegally in the position and is “holding a leash” to the post. To this end, a protest was held by several members calling for his resignation.