82 percent of Disciplined Services members voted in general elections

Last Updated on Saturday, 22 February 2020, 9:45 by Writer

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) says 81.8 percent of eligible members of the Disciplined Services cast their ballots in early general elections on Friday.

In an early Saturday morning release of statistics, GECOM spokeswoman Yolanda Ward said 8,369 of the 10,226 police, soldiers and prison service personnel voted at 86 polling places countrywide.

Giving a breakdown, the GECOM official said 5,400 or 80.6 percent of members of the Guyana Police Force, 2,539 or 83.6 percent of soldiers, and 430 or 88.1 percent of prison service personnel voted.

The Disciplined Services personnel voted on Friday ahead of civilians who will vote on March 2. That is because police, soldiers and prison service personnel are required to provide security and peacekeeping duties on election day and the days leading up to and possibly after results are declared.

GECOM Chairman, Claudette Singh hopes that results can be declared within five days. The law gives GECOM up to 15 days to declare results.