– to be dispatched for Disciplined Services, non-resident voters
The ballot papers and other election materials have arrived in Guyana and were secured at the head office of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). But before this, over 10,000 ballots were extracted for the Disciplined Services and non-resident electors to cast their votes ahead of the March 2 General and Regional Elections.
Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield
The election documents were produced by printing firm, Canadian Bank Note Company Limited. The Canadian company had first supplied GECOM with elections materials at the 2018 Local Government Elections (LGEs).
GECOM Commissioners Sase Gunraj, who is Opposition-nominated, and Charles Corbin, (Government-nominated) had travelled to Canada late January to oversee the production of the election’s materials.
Both ordinary and tendered ballot papers and statement of polls arrived from Canada on Friday morning and were escorted to GECOM’s High Street, Kingston, Georgetown headquarters by the Police.
Ballot papers and other materials for the March 2 elections arrived on Friday
At the Elections Commission, a total of 10, 309 ballot papers were extracted for voting by ranks of Disciplined Services and for non-resident electors, which includes Guyanese diplomats serving overseas.
“So we will post it up to them and ask that it returns by a particular date… The enveloping for the non-resident, we’ll probably finish it today [and] secure it,” Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield told reporters on Friday.
A total of 83 ballots were extracted for the non-resident voters. This includes 71 from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), four from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), two from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), three from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and one each from Regions Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Nine (Upper Takutu-Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Agents from the various political parties observing Friday’s exercise at GECOM
Meanwhile, over 10,000 ballots were extracted for members of the Disciplined Services, who will be casting their votes on February 21. As customary during any elections, members of the Disciplined Services are required to cast their votes ahead of the polling day so that they are available for posting at the various polling stations and other strategic locations as required by law without disenfranchising them.
Those qualified to vote at the upcoming D-Day are 6702 from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), 3036 from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and 488 from the Guyana Prisons Service (GPS).
Of the total ranks from the entire Disciplined Services, there are 47 from Region One (Barima-Waini); 282 from Region Two; 1482 from Region Three; 5324 from Region Four; 976 from Region Five; 1328 from Region Six; 61 from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); 17 from Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); 29 from Region Nine and 680 from Region 10.
“We are extracting 10,226 ballots specific for those ranks. They will be enveloped in preparation for the 21st. So we’re extracting them today and at a later date, we will be enveloping those for the Discipline Services,” Lowenfield explained on Friday.
According to the Chief Elections Officer, the remaining ballots will be secured in the container under locks at the GECOM head office until dispatching.
Friday’s exercise was observed by the two foreign experts, former Chairmen of the Elections Commissions in India and Ghana respectively, Dr Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi and Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, both of whom are here assisting GECOM with its elections preparations.
Also overseeing the exercise were agents of the various political parties contesting the elections.
A total of 11 parties have been approved by GECOM to contest the upcoming polls, which is just over three weeks away. These include the incumbent A Partnership or National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition; People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C); A New and United Party (ANUG); The Citizenship Initiative (CI); Liberty and Justice Party (L&JP); Change Guyana; Federal United Party (FED-UP); The New Movement (TNM); People’s Republic Party (PRP); Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP) and United Republican Party (URP).
A total of 13 parties had made submissions to GECOM on the January 10 Nomination Day but the Guyana National Service Party and the National Independent Party did not meet the requirements and as such, were kicked out the race.
Earlier this week, the Elections Commission published the Official List of Electors (OLE) which includes the names of 661,028 voters. The document has been shared and persons are being urged to ensure they verify their information on the final voters’ list.
