Controversy over list, alleged biased behaviour by GECOM staff reported

Nomination Day in Berbice

Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) came alive on Friday when the two major political parties – APNU and PPP/C — along with one independent individual, submitted lists to contest the November 12 Local Government Elections (LGE) in a process attended by controversy.
The biggest areas of contention were at the two extremities of the region in which eighteen Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) and three Municipalities [New Amsterdam, Rose Hall Town and Corriverton] are situated, making the Region by far the largest for LGE.
At the Plegtanker/Kortberaadt NDC on the East Bank of Berbice, one of two new NDCs in the region, the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) is contending it had arrived at the NDC with its list since 20:00h on Thursday, but the security guard there reserved a place for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), which arrived sometime after 05:30h on Friday — the same time at which the returning officer arrived – and the returning officer allegedly allowed APNU to submit its list first, which according to PPP Member of Parliament Adrian Anamayah is an act that has raised concerns for his party.
According to Anamayah, APNU members had fooled persons and had caused them to sign documents which APNU members used to indicate that those persons were APNU candidates. He said that had his party been allowed to be the first to submit its documents, as should rightly have been the case, some of those names would not have been allowed on the APNU list.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the region, a similar situation was played out, wherein the PPP said it was at the office first and was given the number one tag, but the returning officer asked for APNU to be first to submit its list after members

of that party began to behave unruly in the GECOM compound.
Again, Anamayah is contending, the PPP was denied its right to be the first to submit its list; and he is alleging that GECOM already is acting in a seemingly biased manner.
According to the parliamentarian, the PPP will be challenging the actions of the returning officer in court.
An effort made to get a comment from APNU was met with hostility.
The Alliance for Change (AFC) did not contest in Corriverton and Rose Hall Town, nor did it contest at the Moleson Creek NDC. However, it submitted a list to contest in the town of New Amsterdam, where the APNU will be contesting in only six of the seven constituencies.
The other parties to be contesting in New Amsterdam are the Guyana National Congress, the United Party for National Growth and Development, and the United Republican Party (URP).
Speaking of the APNU’s chances in New Amsterdam, Mayor Winifred Haywood has expressed confidence in that party winning. APNU currently holds the most

seats in the municipality.
However, the PPP has similarly expressed confidence in winning the November 12 poll.
Zabrally Armogan, who led the PPP contingent which marched from Freedom House in Berbice to the GECOM office, has said that party is strong and will be going for an “all-out win” in the town of New Amsterdam.
Submitting the URP’s list was former welterweight boxing champion Jeff Roberts. According to him, the URP is strong and is sure that all of the persons on its list would be voting for that party.
The URP is contesting in most of the NDCs and in one town; the PPP is contesting in all of the NDCs and towns; while APNU is contesting in most of the NDCs and all of the towns, and the AFC has submitted to contest only in its stronghold areas, which include one town and several NDCs.
At the Port Mourant/Johns NDC, a PPP stronghold, Councillor Orin Dougall will be contesting as an individual. He told the <<Guyana Times>> that the PPP is split, and because he was very outspoken, he was not chosen to be on that party’s list. However, he praises democracy, which has given him a chance to represent the people of his constituency.
At the Wyburg/Caracas NDC in West Canje, another new NDC in the Region, the PPP and APNU are the only two parties contesting. (Andrew Carmichael)