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Slow and low voter turnout in Region Six
…but officials report smooth process, minor hiccups
Kaieteur News – Amid slow and low turnout Region Six residents voted in the Local Government Elections yesterday during a process described by officials as smooth with minor hiccups.
Independent Candidate, Mark France
Jevaughn Stephens, APNU, Elections Agent
With polling stations opened from 06:00 am sharp, persons trickled in slowly throughout the day. A total of 61,870 persons were expected to cast their ballots throughout the region. At the New Amsterdam Primary School, Regional Chairman David Armogan along with his wife and son cast their votes at just around 08:30hrs.
New Amsterdam which comprises of seven constituencies is one of the keenly contested municipalities- held for decades by the People’s National Congress, but facing stiff challenge by the ruling PPP/C. A few old PNCR members had switched to the PPP/C prior to the polls.
Regional Chairman of Region Six, David Armogan
Armogan said that polling stations received ballot boxes at approximately 05:00 am but one ballot box was damaged while being transported to the Corentyne. “Apparently when they collected the box the box fell down, and it’s pretty fragile so that box was subsequently replaced,” he said. However, despite this Armogan reported that the voting was “very quick” and “in less than five minutes” he was out of the polling station.
Juanita Burrowes who jumped ship from the APNU and contested as a PPP/C candidate for Constituency 5 in New Amsterdam also said that the process was smooth. While at the time her vote was cast, there was a low turnout, she said she expected throughout the day voters would venture out to cast their ballot. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Election agent Jevaughn Stephens also reported briefly that the process was smooth and simple.
A polling site on the East Bank Berbice
Contesting constituency 3 in New Amsterdam for the APNU was Kirk Fraser, he said he was informed that a box was damaged but noted that “we don’t have a problem with that. We believe in the ballots being secured and as a result of that we support the initiative to remove a box from New Amsterdam and replace that in the Upper Corentyne.”
Additionally, an independent candidate for Constituency 4, Dr. Mark France said that based on engagements with the Returning Officer on the ground “things are going smoothly”. As the day progressed voters were seen slowly trickling in to the various polling sites. One greens vendor in New Amsterdam said she had to vote in Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice and that she would ensure that she heads over to cast her ballot.
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