Latest update January 24th, 2025 6:10 AM
Latest News
- VP Jagdeo exposed on Gas-to-Energy project
- $350B in loans to fund 2025 budget-Jagdeo
- Judge blocks Trump’s ‘blatantly unconstitutional’ executive order that aims to end birthright citizenship
- UK Company installs monitoring system on four drill rigs in Guyana
- Former K/NEWS sports journalist loses home in Kitty fire
Carter Center, OAS, ABC countries commend election process
Noting that there were a few hiccups on Elections day, the Carter Center observation team has commended the election process and is calling on Guyanese to remain patient as the ballots are tabulated.
Field Office Director Jason Calder, Co-leader Dame Billie Miller, Co-leader Dane Audrey Glover, Associate Director of Democracy Programme Brett Lacy, Director of Democracy Programme David Carroll (From L to R)
As the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) officials continue to conduct the tabulation and results process, experts of the Carter Center urged political parties and their leaders to act responsibly and called for patience among their supporters to allow the process to proceed to its conclusion, reflecting the dignity that their constituents displayed on election day.
This was relayed as the mission hosted a press conference at the Pegasus Hotel, Georgetown yesterday.
Dame Billie Miller, co-leader of the mission, told members of the media that on May 11, Guyanese citizens turned out in large numbers to cast their votes “in what is probably the most important election since the watershed elections of 1992.”
She said that Guyanese voters waited patiently in long lines from early in the morning until into the evening. “All across the country, thousands of dedicated poll workers, party agents, and officials of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) served with honesty, integrity, and professionalism. GECOM officials and poll workers are to be commended for these efforts,” she said.
The co-leader said that all Guyanese should be proud of what transpired on Election Day, noting that ballots were cast in an atmosphere of tension and anxiety.
Brett Lacy, the mission’s Associate Director of Democracy Programme, said on Monday, Carter Center observers visited 297 polling stations in all 10 regions, or about 13 percent of total stations, providing a relatively high degree of observation coverage.
“Carter Center observers witnessed opening, polling, closing, and counting procedures in all areas. In addition, Carter Center teams are currently in 9 of the 10 regions to observe the work of GECOM ‘s Returning Officers,” she said.
According to Lacy, Carter Center observers reported a generally calm and peaceful atmosphere throughout elections day. “The implementation of procedures was rated positively at all stations observed during the polling period, and no major irregularities were reported,” she said.
The observers noted a strong presence of political party agents at polling stations visited, with A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) agents at more than 91 percent of stations visited while the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) agents at more than 90 percent of stations visited.
A positive environment, she said, existed in almost all polling stations. “Carter Center observers reported a positive overall assessment of the electoral process and environment at 98 percent of stations visited.”
“During the counting process, statements of poll were completed according to procedures in polling stations visited, and party agents and domestic observers were invited to sign and received copies of the results.”
She said that tension along party lines was observed in a few areas, which may have contributed to the delay in transferring electoral materials and processing results. “GECOM and the police coordinated a response to these issues that improved the transfer of materials.”
Dane Audrey Glover of the United Kingdom, co-leader of the mission, urged political parties and their leaders to act responsibly and call for patience among their supporters and allow the process to proceed to its conclusion, reflecting the dignity that their constituents displayed on elections day as GECOM officials continue to conduct the tabulation and results process.
Following the elections, The Carter Center plans to remain engaged in the weeks ahead. Six medium-term observers from six countries were deployed throughout the country in advance of E -Day to assess election preparations while on Elections day, 53 observers from 26 countries visited 297 polling stations in 10 districts to observe voting and counting.
Questioned by reporters, Glover said that the process of political parties releasing results before the official results from GECOM was unwise.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Berbice and Jagdeo’s legacy
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News-By any reckoning, Region 6 should have been Guyana’s most prosperous region. It has a... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
