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Small parties commend GECOM, police for smooth, well-organised recount – Alexander
Six small parties that met with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday commended the Commission for a smooth, well organised recount process, Commissioner Vincent Alexander told the media yesterday, adding that participants also lauded the role of the Guyana Police Force.
Commission Vincent Alexander
“I think it was a rather cordial meeting, and I think there are two important observations to make, coming out of the meeting. All of those who spoke commended GECOM for its process, the fact that it has a process that’s running smooth, and seem to be well organised. All without exception made that observation,” Alexander reported.
Party agents have themselves confirmed to reporters that they are comfortable with the way the process is being handled by GECOM, but some are still very concerned about the pace of the recount and would like to see it improve.
Commenting on the work of the Guyana Police Force, he said that they should be applauded for the service being rendered. He mentioned that the previous argument made on the exclusion of the police from the process was an “absurdity” as the Force is executing their job to the best of their ability.
A major topic that emerged from the meeting was the “variance in communication.”
The party agents relayed to the Commission concerns regarding decisions that are being implemented, citing that these decisions only become known to them when the counting agents show up at their various stations.
GECOM officials are being advised prior to the commencement of the counting, the party agents argued; according to Alexander, the representatives recommended that they also be advised in advance of the decisions so as to not be blindsided.
The smaller parties also raised implicit concerns that the claims being revealed in the Observation Reports do not redound to the integrity of GECOM’s process. He relayed that they thought it was not in GECOM’s interest to embrace an exercise, which questions the credibility of its own process. Further, the parties stated that the matters being brought to their attention by virtue of the recount are matters that are more pertinent to an elections petition than to a recount.
The parties raised other concerns about the importance of the Observation Statements (OR’s) and the working hours of the recount.
He said that a view was expressed that the observation statements should not be dealt with in the way they are being dealt with. However, Alexander maintained that, “[for] the interest of transparency, you have to go the full haul”.
Commissioner Alexander also added that, “the question of why 5 o’clock is the shutdown time for the collection of boxes, and the point was made that in fact, some of the stations worked yesterday beyond 7, a little beyond 7.”
He pointed out that no decisions were made on the issues raised at the meeting and that these matters will be reviewed at the Commission’s meeting sometime today.
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