The National Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Task Force (NCTF) has given the greenlight to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to establish two additional workstations at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) to accelerate the recount of the votes cast in the March General and Regional Elections. But Government-nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, is of the opinion that these additional stations will not aid in the process being completed within the mandated 25-day period.
He said that the Commission is yet to deliberate on the allocation of these two stations.
Asked if these additional stations will ensure that the process is concluded within the mandated 25-day period, Alexander responded in the negative, but noted that they will impact positively on the process, in terms of the total number of boxes processed each day.
GECOM had initially identified six possible sites and had asked the NCTF to assess these spaces to determine if such additional stations could be established, taking into consideration the anti-coronavirus guidelines.
The Commissioner said that the NCTF did not state why it proffered the establishment of two stations. He did, however say that the issue of “congestion” was raised in the report.
Alexander said, too, that the NCTF expressed some concern over GECOM’s total adherence to the stipulations that were recommended in the first assessment that was done prior to the commencement of the recount process.
At the end of yesterday’s operations, a total of 60 ballot boxes were completed.
The breakdown of the operations noted: 13 boxes being processed for Region Two; 15 for Region Three, 14 for Region Four and another 18 for Region Five.
So far, GECOM would have processed 588 ballot boxes, since it began the recount process on May 6.
