“GECOM has a tubulation centre that is located in a dome. I cannot understand how a space that is accessible to all party agents, now becomes a private space.” This is the response given by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Public Relations Officer (PRO) Yolanda Ward, moments ago, when she was ask to confirm if the Commission is indeed investigating an allegation which suggests that agents attached to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) were part of a private meeting with two top officials of GECOM’s Information Technology (IT) Department this morning before the commencement of Day Two of the recount of the ballots cast in the March 2 General and Regional Elections.
“My understanding is that two of the IT staff[ers] was [sic] setting up their work area [when] they were approached by two agents with questions, and it was from there that the whole thing swung out of proportion as being termed a secret meeting,” Ward said.
She, however, admitted that she was not present in the room at the time, nor does she have all the details of what may have transpired, but based on her “little investigation”, she was able to surmise that is what occurred.
Asked if the Commission will be investigating the allegation, Ward said: “I’m sure that Commission, during the course of their meeting now, will be able to deliberate on the matter and I will have more information as to what transpired to provide you with a more detail [sic] update on that, “ she said.
The allegation is being circulated by some A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance of Change (APNU+AFC) candidates.
Below is an excerpt:
“When confronted by an APNU+AFC agent who was tipped off about the secret meeting, neither the IT Supervisor nor his Deputy could provide an explanation for the meeting. The four PPP agents could also not proffer any reason for the highly improper meeting. The meeting was being held in secret in the tabulation room at the counting centre well before the arrival of other officials. It appeared as though there was a coordinated plan between the two GECOM IT staff members and the PPP agents to arrive early and conduct the secret meeting. It is believed that they were colluding to deliberately tamper with the tabulation process on the computers in the tabulation centre at the time of the announcement of individual ballot box results to reflect the bogus PPP results instead of the authenticated, verified recount figures.”
PPP/C candidate, Dr Frank Anthony, who is accused of being one of the agents, debunked the claim.
“I don’t know what’s secret about that because every single person who was in the room, could hear me asking the questions, and also, hear the response. And also, there were three APNU+AFC observers, if you like, in the room who heard everything that I said, and the response given. So how is that a secret? And, there were many other party representatives there,” he said this morning.
