Georgetown: Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice (rtd) Claudette Singh is expected to contact the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) to request approval for two additional workstations to accelerate the recount of the votes cast in the March 2 Elections.
“Being cognisant that it is of national importance that this recount exercise concludes as quickly as possible, it is the intention of the Chairperson to write to the National Task Force again to seek their reconsideration for an additional two workstations so that,” GECOM’s Public Relations Officer Yolanda Ward said.
Ward indicated that GECOM was willing to take the risk to complete the recount soonest.
“If it is that the Commission is willing to absorb some risk, then I am sure that there is a well-thought out plan in that regard,” Ward said.
Based on latest figures, the trend seems to be that now about 70 boxes are being counted daily since two stations were added from Tuesday.
Opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) placed several recommendations on the table geared towards improving the current pace of the recount exercise.
Presidential Candidate for the PPP/C Irfaan Ali briefed the media after the meeting and said that all of the recommendations put forward were to ensure that the transparency of the process remains intact while efficiency is improved.
Ali said the PPP/C will be supportive of a week’s extension to the activity which initially was given a deadline of 25 days.
“We have made it clear that we will support a minimum extension of maybe seven days,” he added.
Among the PPP’s recommendations is for GECOM to examine a quota system where a minimum daily target is set for each station and those stations are made to complete that quota before its wraps up work for the day.
“The quota system does not set a time system. All it does is to say there is a minimum standard to be established for every station… I don’t think it will compromise the transparency but it will add to efficiency,” Ali added
He said this recommendation was made based on the Chairman’s stated intention to accomplish a target of 100 boxes per day.
The PPP also explored the possibility of a shift system to be put in place. If these measures do not find favor with GECOM, Ali said the Commission can also go back to its earlier recommendation to increase the counting stations.
“We did not recommend a specific number but what we said is that GECOM is independent and they should examine the recommendations within the protocols of the Covid-19 and come up with a number.”
GECOM had sought permission from the Covid-19 task force to increase the stations to 16 but only received permission to add two more stations.
The task force had cited breaches to the existing guidelines for Covid-19 at the recount center.
Ali said even if there is an extension GECOM should work to ensure that the CARICOM team remains in Guyana until the process is completed.
You must be logged in to post a comment.