Local Govt. Elections

Jun 03, 2023 News

…Disciplined Services vote in smooth process

Kaieteur News – Members of the Joint Services turned out in their numbers on Thursday to cast their ballots in the 2023 Local Government Elections (LGE).

A total of 9093 ranks of the disciplined services which comprise the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) voted ahead of the LGE scheduled for June 12, 2023.

Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh visited the various polling places set up at Police Stations, Guyana Prison Service locations as well as GDF locations. The GECOM Chair reported that there was a smooth voting process.

“I can say that everything went well, when I visited Eve Leary and the other polling sites no issues were reported. The polls opened promptly at 6 am and will be closing that same hour in the evening. We are expecting thousands to vote because the turnout was good,”Justice Singh told this newspaper over the telephone.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of GECOM, Yolanda Ward expressed similar views and revealed that GECOM had set up 84 ballot boxes across the various polling stations.

“I would not be able to give a number of voters based on the turn out but what I can say is if the ranks didn’t get to vote with the rest of the joint services, they can still vote at their respective Local Authority Area come June 12, 2023,” she explained.

Of the over 9000 members of the joint services , many ranks were set to participate in the voting process, the GDF’s voting population accounted for 2, 799 rank. The GDF ranks voted at 23 locations within their compounds.

Members of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) cast their ballots at five polling stations.

Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot said a total of 493 ranks were expected to vote countrywide. Of that amount, 63 will not cast their vote since there is only one approved list of candidates in the Local Authority Areas (LAAs) for those ranks.

“It was a problem-free process as voters were able to exercise their franchise without any hindrance at each polling station. As expected, there were no difficulties across the five prison locations,” Mr. Elliot said.

Throughout the day polling stations had visits from several GECOM officials, including Chair of GECOM, Justice (retired) Claudette Singh and party agents.

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”Justice Singh told this newspaper, GECOM officials, good, GPF, Guyana Elections Commission, the Guyana Defence Force

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