With incumbent Desi Bouterse facing defeat and with less than 30% of ballots still to be processed, the Independent Electoral Council of Suriname last evening suspended counting because of the “exhaustion” of tabulation staff.
“We’ve been running for 36 hours. I understand everyone’s desire to hear the results, but we’re just people,” Mike Nerkust, chairman of the chief polling station, told Apintie Television.
According to a report from the Associated Press the National Assembly Elections which were held on May 25 saw “widespread problems in voting” while the tabulation has so far seen the incumbent trailing in the results.
The report explained that the vote count was halted with 73% of the ballots counted, and President Bouterse’s National Democratic Party appeared headed for defeat.
If the trend held up, it said, Bouterse’s party would drop from a majority 26 seats to 16 in the 51-seat parliament while Chan Santokhi’s opposition United Reform Party would rise to 20 seats from nine.
“Opposition parties and good governance groups already had raised claims of irregularities on election day, and the suspension brought new questions about the dangers of electoral fraud,” the report notes.
The Organization of American States (OAS) Observer mission was specifically identified as a group which reported numerous irregularities during voting.
However, a mission from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) called the criticism “heavily exaggerated.”
At a news conference, the regional organization’s team said, “Attention has been paid to almost all serious reports of possible electoral fraud. The mission has not been able to establish this anywhere.
Local organizations have disagreed with that assessment. The head of the independent Electoral Bureau, Jennifer van Dijk-Silos, called this “the most chaotic elections” she ever experienced while Dew Sharman, a opposition lawmaker, reported seeing already open ballot boxes being delivered to the counting center at the Anthony Nesty Sports Hall.
“I’m staying here tonight to make sure no one gets to the ballots,” Pakitow Biervliet of another opposition party, Justice and Development, said during a report via Facebook from the sports hall.
Notably a victory for Santokhi’s party would not assure him of the presidency. A two-thirds vote by the parliament is required to win the presidency, so Bouterese’s party could block him when the vote is held in August.
