Former AG provides evidence of skewed configuration by GECOM

Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall on Friday evening reiterated that the unfair, inequitable and discriminatory allocation of polling places puts the average People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) voter at a disadvantage and creates an advantage in favour of the average APNU/AFC voter. 
In providing evidence for his statement, Nandlall released photographs of skewed configuration by Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Giving examples, Nandlall stated that a random extract from GECOM’s List of Polling Places showing some polling places for Samantha Point/Caneville, East Bank Demerara, an APNU stronghold, shows a number of private residences and place of worship that have been used for a relatively small community.
In a second instance, another random extract from GECOM’s List of Polling Places showing some polling places for Guyhoc Park, Greater Georgetown, another APNU stronghold, also shows a number of private residences that have been used for a relatively small community.
“A random extract from GECOM’s List of Polling Places showing some polling places for Festival City and North Ruimveldt, Greater Georgetown, another APNU stronghold. You will note the number of private residences that have been used as polling places,” Nandlall said as he refuted GECOM Chair, retired Justice Claudette Singh’s claim that GECOM is not attempting to frustrate and suppress voters on Elections Day by reducing the number of polling places.
Nandlall added that a private residence at Duncan Street, Georgetown, and in another instance, a branch of the Office of the Ministry of Presidency located at Barima Avenue, Bel Air Park, less than a stone’s throw away from the private residence is being used.
“Should a Ministry of the Presidency Office be used as a polling place in the first place? If it is considered a proper public place for polling, why use a private residence as another polling place in such close proximity?

How many voters will be accommodated at these two polling places located one street away from the other?,” the former AG questioned.
He further questioned whether GECOM is telling the nation that in all of the above locations there is such a paucity of public places that so many private residences have to be used.
“Compare all the above with Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, a PPP stronghold where seven thousand (7000) voters are required to vote at two (2) schools located in the same compound and where GECOM has refused to use any private residences (or places of worship), although nine (9) private residences were used in 2015, without a singular complaint,” Nandlall said.