PPPC requests ballot recount in three regions; official declaration delayed

Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 May 2015, 13:41 by GxMedia

The declaration of official results for general elections held earlier this week has been delayed and could be made by  Friday at the earliest because the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) has requested recounts in three regions/ districts.

Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission, Keith Lowenfield  told Demerara Waves that the PPP has asked for recounts in Regions One, Two and Eight.

GECOM will, nevertheless, continue to announce preliminary results Wednesday morning.

President Donald Ramotar said the request was not for a general recount but “in areas where we had reports of a lot of votes were rejected for spurious reasons.”

Lowenfield detailed that the PPP wants 16 boxes in Region One,  98 in Region Two and eight in Region Eight. In the case of Region 8, four of the boxes are in Mahdia and the remainder are in the North Pakaraimas. For Region Two, the PPP wants a recount of boxes  up and down the Pomeroon River and from Charity to Good Hope on the Essequibo Coast.

The recounts are expected to begin on Wednesday and continue until Thursday or Friday before an official declaration of the winner of the May 11, 2015 general elections  is known.

Both the PPPC and the coalition of A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC)  have claimed victory based on their Statements of Poll, but they have committed to await GECOM’s official declaration.

The Joint Services Chairman, Brigadier Mark Phillips has urged Guyanese to be patient and await that declaration as well as accept the final results. Similar calls have been made by international observers and top American, British and Canadian diplomats here.