Georgetown: Police are investigating the breach of ballots boxes that were secured in containers at a Coldingen, East Coast Demerara location. Reports are that the breached ballot boxes represent votes casted in Regions Two, Four and Six and were stored on a property that was being overlooked by security guards. However, reports suggest that the containers were at the back of the property and the guards were stationed at the front. However, it was this evening discovered that the padlocks for the containers in question were removed suggesting that something sinister had occurred.
The discovery saw officials of GECOM, including Chief Elections Officer, Gocool Boodhoo rushing to the East Coast Demerara location along with several police officers.
A statement issued subsequently by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) said that it is expected that the GECOM leadership and the law enforcement authorities will move resolutely, in apprehending the perpetrators. It was pointed out too that “the PPP will deliberate on this and other unnerving evidence that pointed to a clear conspiracy to cheat the PPP/C out of Government. We intend to consider all options on going forward.”
The PPP said that it was “flabbergasted” by the on-going efforts by certain forces to interfere with the integrity of the 2011 elections materials and vital evidence should there be either a recount or even a forensic audit, which the party is currently advocating for. Regarding the development as “shocking”, the PPP/C asserted that it has always maintained that it remains unopposed to a total or partial recount of the ballots given its firm view that there was orchestrated misconduct at several polling stations and divisions.
The statement pointed out too that the PPP/C was prevailed upon to withdraw its request for partial recount as the opposition had claimed that it would delay the announcement of the preliminary results. This request, it noted, was made by the PPP/C in light of “certain facts and activities that took place” and affected votes that had been cast for the PPP/C. “We view this break-in of the ballot boxes as a planned effort by certain political forces to prevent a recount given the suspicious and evidence of collusion to cheat the PPP/C of a clear parliamentary majority. We have also noticed an unprecedented feature, that is, the use of military type planning and operations by these elements that seem bent on frustrating and even undermining the democratic process in Guyana.”
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