LGE 2023: PPP candidates win tiebreakers in Berbice constituencies

After there were ties in the number of votes between contesting candidates in two different constituencies of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), an exercise was held on Thursday to resolve the deadlock.
In both instances, the candidates representing the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) were declared the winner of their respective constituencies.
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had explained that after the ascertainment and declaration of election results by Returning Officer, there were ties at the constituency level in two areas, namely: Seafield/Tempie – Constituency 4 and Plegt Anker/Kortberaadt – Constituency four.
In order to resolve these ties, the respective Returning Officers were required to draw lots, in the presence of a Magistrate.

This was done on Thursday at the New Amsterdam Magistrates’ Court before magistrate Renita Singh where Ramdat Baitu of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) emerged victorious for the Seafield/Tempie – Constituency four.
Baitu was tied with Milton Christopher Cummings of the APNU for that constituency. They both received 27 votes.
Meanwhile, in constituency four of the Plegt Anker/Kortberaadt NDC there was also a tie with Deodan Ramdatt who represented APNU and Odesh Tamberine who was the candidate for the PPP/C, each getting 23 votes.
Again, the PPP candidate won the tiebreak.
After the preceding both Tamberine and Baitu promised to work for the betterment of their respective constituencies.
Resounding success
Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo addressing the media at a press conference on Thursday assured that the party through its candidates will stick to the promises made on the campaign trail. This he said is notwithstanding the fact that the party lost in some of the Local Authority Areas (LAAs).

“We didn’t win Georgetown, or New Amsterdam or Linden we are encouraged by those results, we are happy about them in almost every area of the country where APNU has contested.”
Jagdeo, who is also the General Secretary for the PPP, said the LGE results are a resounding success for the party even though the PPP/C won sixty-six of the eighty LLAs.
Even in many of the areas the party lost it would have gained significant ground.
“In Mocha we won more votes; significantly more – from 17 votes to more than 200 votes. In Kwakwani we won more votes – we more than double our votes there. In Georgetown we increased our votes by over 75 percent.in Linden our votes increased by 500 percent – that is over 2000 people in Linden voted for this party and in New Amsterdam our votes increased by over 100 percent.”
He pointed out that in the New Amsterdam Town Council there is now a two-seat difference which the party narrowed from an eight-seat difference.
“In Bartica and Mahdia we won the popular votes. So, I don’t know what they are celebrating about,” he said referring to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
“We said to people that we will work with you to improve your communities and that means that we have to work harder now,”
This, the Former Head of State said is so because regional and general Elections are likely to be held in November 2025.
Following, the awarding of the constituency seat to the PPP/C in the Seafield/Tempie NDC, the PPP/C now has 7 seats and APNU 8 on the council.
Meanwhile, APNU says it was not going to accept the decision to have the PPP/C candidate for Constituency 4 in the Plegt Anker/Kortberaadt NDC as the councilor for that constituency.
The Party says it will take its agreement to the courts.
Regional Coordinator for the party Kirk Fraser says the Party is contending that there were five tendered ballots that were counted for the PPP/C thus resulting in the tie.
“A tendered ballot is a ballot issued to a perceived voter who does not reach certain basic requirements. For example, one may vote before and just to appease the voter they are issued with a tendered ballot so that that they can feel that they would have participated in the process,” Fraser explained.
When persons make claims that they would not have voted but records at the police station suggest that they would have voted, a tendered ballot is issued allowing the polling officer the opportunity to later have a full investigation and adjudicate.
Meanwhile, with the seat going to the PPP/C in the Plegt Anker/Kortberaadt NDC both the PPP/C and APNU each has four seats on the NDC.
If after two sittings to elect a chairperson for the NDC and the Councilors are at a deadlock, the Minister will appoint a chairperson. (G4)