Several injured in GECOM convoy road accident, ballot boxes safe – authorities

Last Updated on Saturday, 23 August 2025, 1:37 by Writer

Several persons were injured on Friday night in a multi-vehicle smash-up on the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Public Road, East Coast Demerara but the three ballot boxes that were being transported from Berbice were delivered securely to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), authorities said.

“The Guyana Police Force wishes to state that, following an accident tonight on the East Coast Demerara public road in the vicinity of LBI, the three Ballot Boxes which were being escorted from Berbice have been safely and securely escorted and handed over to GECOM headquarters in Georgetown,” the law enforcement agency said in a statement.

GECOM spokeswoman, Yolanda Ward also confirmed that the boxes were intact and delivered by police securely to the Commission. “All election materials are intact and they have already been delivered to GECOM headquarters,” she said.

Police said the accident occurred at about 8:55 PM involving two minibuses #BAB 6899 and #BAL 2180 and a motor car #PXX 7899

Investigators were informed that minibus #BAB 6899 was proceeding west on LBI Public Road with Ballot Box #DF048 from Central Police Station under escort, behind that was motorcar #PXX 7898, which was carrying Ballot Box #DF047 from Central Police Station, and minibus #BAL2180 contained Ballot Box #DF050 from Whim Police Station. All of the vehicles were being escorted by a GPF motorcar #PAB 8212.

Police said the accident occurred when an unknown motorcar drove northwest out of LBI Access Road into the pathway of the police escort vehicle causing it to brake suddenly leadng to a tandem collision involving the fleet of vehicles.

“Due to the collision, several passengers received injuries and were immediately escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation by the Police, and each respective ballot box was escorted to GECOM headquarters, safe and secured,” police said.

The GECOM spokeswoman also told Demerara Waves Online News that voting by members of the Disciplined Services – police force, defence force and prison service – was “extremely smooth” in keeping with the procedures and laws, except for the posting of a marked ballot on social media. Ms Ward said that was in clear violation of GECOM’s rules and the seven-member commission would discuss the occurrence next week. “We’ve done our part in terms of putting the policies in place and implementing what is required. It is unfortunate that it has happened because it constitutes an election offence but, of course, that would be something that police would have to investigate,” she said.