The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) yesterday defended its decision to seek recounts across the country, arguing that some of its agents had to flee polling stations prior to the completion of Statements of Poll, there were large numbers of rejected ballots and the high voter turnout was suspicious.
Surprise has been expressed at the PPP’s decision on Tuesday night to call for recounts of boxes from Monday’s general elections when all of the observer teams including the Carter Center and the Commonwealth have said there was nothing untoward about the polls
The ruling party which is facing possible defeat following Monday’s polls after 22 years in office, requested recounts across the ten administrative regions. It has withheld just how many ballot box recounts it asked to be looked into although members of the media pressed for information at a briefing at party headquarters, Freedom House.
Stabroek News asked the party to provide details, inclusive of locations, division numbers and ballot box numbers to help verify where party polling agents had fled prior to the statement of polls being tabulated. Party executive Priya Manickchand said that she did not have the relevant information with her at the time.
Members of the party spoke about the rampant fear that had seized polling agents but were unable to provide details documenting where and when these incidents occurred.
Stabroek News asked why the Guyana Police Force was not notified of any of these instances considering persons allegedly feared for their lives. Manickchand responded that “you’re watching a mob, seven o’clock in the night, 300 people, if I am going to the police who do I say was doing this to me. I have no clue who these people are so it makes no sense so this is just a report for reporting sake”. She added that it was “not something I wanted to waste time doing.”
This newspaper pointed out that since the party was alleging that persons feared for their safety these incidents would become police matters.
Manickchand however said, “the focus of somebody like me is not to run to the police station and make a police report about something that has already happened and we can’t fix right now. It is more to say to the RO [Returning Officer], please don’t let this happen again and that was the purpose of the emails.”
“You gotta to understand how elections run, 158 boxes across the region. My aim was not to run down Carter Center and the Carter Center reps as far as I know were not based in a place, they were floating. I met one at a place shortly after one of these incidents” Manickchand said.
The party executive who acted in the capacity as assistant election agent for Region 5 said that she sent numerous emails to the Returning Officer that were acknowledged. Manickchand said that nothing was done and that she was very concerned that Gecom Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally later denied receiving any reports.
When pressed by members of the media as to why the party stood alone in noting so many irregularities when the various observer missions held a consensus that the elections process went smoothly with minor exceptions, she said that what she was reporting could not be ignored.
Manickchand also acknowledged that many of the instances that she spoke about could not be proven either.
Earlier in the press conference, Manickchand said that “I see persons saying that the elections were free and fair and I wish to specifically say that I am disputing that”. She later clarified that she had never intended to say that the elections were not free and fair, “I didn’t say that the elections were not free and fair I don’t think that’s for me to decide or declare. I said I don’t think they were free from fear in every single box…I will withdraw it. I do not believe elections were free from fear f-e-a-r in every single area.”
Party executive Anil Nandlall who was also present at the press briefing stated that the party was within its right to ask for a recount. When asked by the members of the press if the party remained confident of its lead in the polls why it was requesting recounts across the board he replied, “Should we give away seats?”
Party executive, Dr Frank Anthony condemned the APNU+AFC’s stance on the PPP/C requesting a recount. He said there was a large segment of society whose democratic rights may have been disregarded due to the large percentage of rejected ballots. APNU+AFC had said that the PPP/C’s request for recounts did not comply with the law.
Sophia
The party brought in to speak a woman who said that she was a resident of Sophia where the Election Night violence occurred. Anthony later stated that members of the media were interrogating a victim, however the press corps was requesting information from the woman as she was providing her recollection of the night’s events.
The woman said at one point that the Leader of the Opposition David Granger was a part of the mob, however she afterwards admitted that she was not sure but the person resembled Granger. She said that multiple calls were placed to the police and it was only after calling Freedom House that relief came.
As of Tuesday, four persons were taken into custody following the torching of eight vehicles, a house and a shack with a horse stable attached in `C’ Field, Sophia on Election Night. After alleging that ballot boxes were in the PPP/C command centre located in the area residents became perturbed and the fire was set.
