Police, not supporters, entrusted to secure ballot boxes – GECOM CEO

Volda’s “vigilant nightshift”

…says it’s illegal for persons to gather within 200 yards of polling stations

Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield has made it clear that when polls are closed and ballot boxes prepared to be transported, it is the Police and/or army, not party supporters, who are entrusted with securing them.

Lowenfield was at the time addressing members of the media at an election coverage training session at Palm Court on Saturday when he was asked to comment on the issue. It comes after Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence would have encouraged APNU/AFC’s party’s supporters to mobilise on polling stations after voting ends, rather than go home.
The CEO made it clear that the only time parties have a role in securing ballot boxes is when disciplined services go out and vote.
He noted that on Election Day, when the entire population votes, no such arrangement exists.

“Let’s start with the disciplined services. For disciplined services balloting 10 days before elections, we have ballot stations in Police and army localities. When I go to Timehri, for instance, and the day is ended, I facilitate the movement of those votes back to the centre to be secured,” Lowenfield said.
“Each location will have a (party) agent. So the Commission has approved the movement of agents from the respective parties to accompany. We can only take X amount in the bus we have. So yes, there is accompaniment of the votes from the disciplined services, so they arrive at the destination at GECOM. And they will observe us placing the boxes in a container. For general and regional, there is no such arrangement.”
According to Lowenfield, he will be meeting with the various election parties where they will be briefed on these and other issues. He was also asked about the specific laws pertaining to persons converging on polling stations.

200-yard limit
Lowenfield noted that Section 103 of the Representation of the People’s Act makes it clear that persons cannot converge within 200 yards of polling stations and interfere with the election process. The penalty for breaching this law, he said, was a $65,000 fine and imprisonment for six months.
“The law speaks to molestation. You should not, legally, be within the 200 yards as specified in the law. But the Commission will have to deliberate and meet with the agents of the various parties to address this and ensure that they are aware.”
The People’s Representation Act states that: “No person shall anywhere within a distance of two hundred yards of a polling place annoy, molest or otherwise interfere with an elector or attempt to obtain any information as to the list of candidates for whom any elector in the polling place is about to vote or has voted either on his own behalf or as a proxy on behalf of another elector.”

Irresponsible
Last week, People’s National Congress (PNC) Chair Volda Lawrence made her controversial comments during a meeting in the Kitty Market Square, Georgetown. She had urged supporters to remain at polling stations until ballots are counted and statements of polls posted, after which the party will secure the ballot boxes.
“When six o’clock hit, you supposed to have already had your bath and put on your nightshift clothing. You understand what I’m saying, comrades? This is not the time to be sleeping. They must not catch us sleeping on the job! At six o’clock, you’re required to work at the places of polling and you will remain out there and let our staff inside know that you are out there.”
“Let them know everything is covered, APNU/AFC! You have to give that support. You have to remain there until they get it right… and then our nice, strong men will be mobilised to follow that ballot box until it goes into that container and the APNU/AFC padlock and chain is placed on that container… we aren’t making no joke with them votes.”
In comments on the matter, former Attorney General and PPP candidate Anil Nandlall had described the comments as irresponsible. According to him, a crowd of supporters mobilising on polling stations can get out of control. He compared this to what occurred in 2015 when PPP activists were assaulted and a house and car torched after voting had ended.
The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has also come out in criticism of Lawrence’s statements. Urging President David Granger to address the issue, the Commission noted that they view the statements “with considerable concern as they are provocative have all the potential for leading to a violent confrontation between the supporters of the contesting parties and are a direct threat to the peaceful conduct of the elections.”