Live: Day 1 – National recount underway

GECOM PRO Yolanda Ward briefing the media this evening on how day one of the recount went.
GECOM PRO Yolanda Ward briefing the media this evening on how day one of the recount went.

The recount of the votes from the March 2nd general elections is finally underway at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

7:31PM –  Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission Yolanda Ward addressing the media this evening.

5:23PM – Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall addressing the media outside of the ACCC.

3:42PM – One of the party agents for the APNU+AFC coalition Ryan Belgrave addressing the media outside of the ACCC.

3:15PMGiftland offers help to the media by providing access to washrooms, refreshments, charging stations and WiFi. 

2:53PM – TCI Executive and Founding Member Shazaam Ally:

1:39PM – Here’s two Statements of Recount.  Counting is said to be proceeding very slowly.

A Statement of Recount
from today’s proceedings. Counting is said to proceeding very slowly.
A Statement of Recount for District Four

12:55PM – The Guyana Elections Commission this morning confirmed that a ballot box from Electoral District One was filled with water, likely affecting the ballots which are stored inside. Speaking with Media outside the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, GECOM spokesperson Yolanda Ward noted that the container in which the District 1 ballot boxes were stored had a hole through which rain had passed into at least one box. There has been significant rainfall since March when the boxes were sealed therefore the ballots and other materials were likely sitting in water in excess of a week.

The recount which is expected to last for 25 days began at 10:30 more than two hours after the scheduled start time of 8 am. Ward noted that the delay was.mostly due to the heightened security at the counting centre adding that measures will be put in place to mitigate this issue tomorrow. The count begun with Districts One, Two, Three and Four. A minor delay was occasioned when one political party could not find their key for the District 4 Container and an unidentified lock was found on the District 3 container. These locks were cut free by GECOM.

 

12:03PM – Lennox Shuman gives an Elections update.

Midday: GECOM Commissioner Robeson Benn has raised concerns about the layout of the re-count stations.  He has sent the following letter to Stabroek News.

10:45AM – Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission Yolanda Ward addressing the media outside of the ACCC.

10:23AM – One of the ballot boxes being transported under guard (GECOM photo)

One of the ballot boxes being transported under guard (GECOM photo)

10:22AM – The 10 workstations are functioning and separate audio feeds can be followed on the Guyana Elections Commission’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LGE2018/

10:13AM – Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall addressing the media before he enters the ACCC.

10:05AM – 

9:45AM – Minister David Patterson addressing the media outside the ACCC.

8:41AM – President of the Guyana Press Association Nazima Raghubir speaking on media accommodations outside the ACCC.

8:20AM –  Stabroek News is at the official site of the recount center, namely the Arthur Chung Convention Center