PPP claims cases of multi-voting, injured representatives, makes complaint list for GECOM

Last Updated on Monday, 11 May 2015, 21:37 by GxMedia

by Zena Henry

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will compile a list of complaints to the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) as they expressed deep concern over multi-voting cases identified in numerous locations within the country.

The party noted that inconsistencies occurring May 11 during the General and Regional Election include persons voting more than once, without identification cards and others removing ink from their fingers and returning to polling stations to cast another ballot.

The party’s candidate Dr. Frank Anthony explained that reports coming from their representatives indicate that persons are appearing without identification cards, claiming to be someone and are being allowed to vote, while another person  claiming the same name are also coming to the polls, with identification cards to vote.

It was noted too that at the St. Sidewells Primary School, PPP candidate Kwame McCoy had to be rescued from angry voters who were not happy with his presence at the polling place. It is alleged that McCoy had gone to relieve a party representative who was physically injured and had to be sent for medical attention, the party claimed.

General Secretary of the party Zulphicar Mustapha told media operatives that in the cases of multi-voting, they are investigating what would have occurred on the, “East Bank, South Georgetown and Belladrum.

While the party members said they were not aware of the specifics of the matters, they alleged that in a particular incident in Belladrum division number 52212B, “a person that is out of the country, listed on the OLE, number 127, our polling agent objected that that person is out of the country. Another person came with the name without an identification card and the Presiding Officer, although our officer objected to that name allowed the person to cast his ballot.”

Another matter alleged was a 65-year-old man was not allowed to vote at a polling station, division number 413252B, because someone had already voted for him, they were told.

The PPP members said that the cases were just coming in and were being tabulated to be sent to GECOM. The question was asked about GECOM’s response to the complaints because just before the PPP presser, the election agency held also held a press conference and related none of the PPP complaints except that they were receiving reports (not from the party) about the stained ink being removed from people’s fingers.

The PPP had stated that they did not have specific instances where persons removed and ink from their fingers and proceeded to vote again, but those were the reports and they are investigated.

The party denied however that they were making these complaints to justify any unfavourable results. Instead the party said, “It is fair that the public should know some of the incidents that are happening.  If people want to go and violate the electoral process by assuming other people’s identity and things like that, then we need to be alerted so we can catch those people and they should face the law.”