PNCR’s Central Exec Committee votes still counting; different delegate numbers explained

Last Updated on Thursday, 4 July 2024, 11:12 by Writer

Three days after delegates voted at the People’s National Congress Reform’s (PNCR) internal elections, up to Wednesday afternoon the results for the 15-member Central Executive Committee (CEC) were not available, party officials confirmed.

Multiple sources confirmed late Wednesday that the 15 CEC members are expected to include Joan-Ann Romascindo, Jermaine Figueira, Ganesh Mahipaul, Egerton David, Deron Adams, Coretta McDonald, Anil Sugrim, Troy Garraway, Robin Simon, Riaz Roopnarine, Nima Flue-Bess, Wainwright Mackintosh, Sherwood Lowe, and Mervyn Williams.

Efforts to reach Returning Officer Vincent Alexander were not immediately successful, but Congress Administrator Sherwin Benjamin said counting of the more than 1,000 ballots was continuing. He explained that there are more than 60 nominees on each ballot from which a voter has to pick 15.

“It is a complicated process and the results will be made available within the shortest possible time,” Mr Benjamin said on Tuesday on the PNCR’s Facebook page.

Another party official said a ballot is considered spoilt if a delegate votes for more than 15 persons. “They have to first verify that each ballot is authentic, that all that they have counted have picked 15 0r less and then they have to do a tally chart to put down all of the names and then count each tick to ascertain who gets a vote so it’s a tedious process,” he said.

Demerara Waves Online News was reliably informed that the Returning Officer suspended the counting of ballots on Monday because he had a scheduled engagement with the Burnham Foundation.

The Congress Administrator sought to assure that the ballots and related material were being kept at Congress Place in a secured room whose locks were changed and only Mr Alexander has access.

Meanwhile, the Congress Administrator clarified the different numbers of delegates that were being floated before and during the 22nd Biennial Delegates Congress, saying the PNCR has 23,000 members on roll which means there are 2,300 delegates. However, he said records show that 1,800 persons attended Congress but not all voted because a number of persons left before doing so.

The PNCR, in an official statement issued on July 1, 2024 said 1,300 delegates representing 218 groups were accredited and they came from Guyana’s 10 administrative regions, United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The Returning Officer has already declared Aubrey Norton as Leader, Shurwayne Holder (Chairman), Elizabeth Niles-Williams and Vinceroy Jordan (Vice Chairmen) and Elson Lowe (Treasurer).