The Returning Officer (RO) who presided at the PNCR’s election of its presidential candidate has cleared the air on conflicting reports emanating from Saturday’s process saying there was no controversy surrounding the election of David Granger.
There were several media reports stating that Granger was declared the winner after as much as three recounts but the RO Earl John of Sandra Jones Associates in a release yesterday stated that this was inaccurate.
According to John, when the official tally was completed the five candidates were invited to the stage and advised of the individual results.
He stated that it was he who enquired if they wanted a recount given the apparent close margin between Granger who secured 279 votes and Carl Greenidge who tallied 264 votes.
“The majority decision was that there should be such a recount of those two candidates only.
This single recount was effected under the scrutiny of their representatives who together confirmed the original results as subsequently reported,” the release added.
It was only then that a public announcement was made, John said, while adding that it would appear an earlier report may have emerged from those scrutineers who had done their own tallying.
“It is relevant to state that there was never a controversy about the announced results,” John clarified.
Some 666 delegates cast their ballots on Saturday. PNCR Vice-Chairman Basil Williams came in a distant third with 88 votes, while Dr Faith Harding and young attorney James Bond languished some way back on 20 and 13 votes respectively.
