GECOM decides to tabulate votes from 29 boxes without documents

The Arthur Chung Conference Centre where the recount is taking place.
The Arthur Chung Conference Centre where the recount is taking place.

GECOM has decided to tabulate the votes from the 29 East Coast boxes that weren’t accompanied by statutory documents, sources say.

The decision was taken at a meeting of GECOM today. There have been conflicting reports about why the boxes did not have the documents.

The recount of ballot boxes is expected to end today.

GECOM’s PRO Yolanda Ward this afternoon issued the following statement:

“Good afternoon colleagues. The Commission has decided to include the SoRs for the ballot boxes with missing documents in the tabulation exercise.

“It was noted that the Commission does not intend to disenfranchise any elector.

“However, the Commission will continue to investigate the matter”.

APNU+AFC today issued the following statement on the decision:

APNU+AFC RESPONDS TO GECOM DECISION TO TABULATE VOTES FROM COMPROMISED EAST COAST DEMERARA BOXES

The APNU+AFC notes today with disappointment the decision of GECOM to tabulate votes which are clearly fraudulent in ballot boxes from the East Coast of Demerara.

GECOM needs to publicly state the rationale behind this inexplicable decision.

We have taken note that the Secretariat of GECOM is still required to investigate these matters.

APNU+AFC wishes to make it clear that we do not accept a tabulated vote as a credible vote, since in the bundle of tabulated votes rests several votes which are fraudulent.

Decisions raised by APNU+AFC are awaited.