The four political parties contesting the elections yesterday welcomed the large voter turnout at yesterday polls, which most parties agreed were generally well-conducted.
However, opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) objected at what it considered orchestrated attempts to disrupt some of the counting of ballots in its key areas by the PPP/C.
The opposition coalition, although heartened by the high voter turnout, yesterday expressed concern at several incidents following the close of polls, which the party said was aimed at disrupting the counting of votes particularly in Region 4. “We have had a very good day today. I think the voters turned out in their numbers to express their wish in terms of their votes and therefore it is disappointing and not only disappointing, but I believe most of us will agree that it is totally unacceptable behaviour that has taken place after 6 o’clock today [last evening], Carberry said at a press briefing last night. “And obviously that behaviour was intended to rob the Guyanese people of the will that they [would] have exercised through their votes,” he added.
Efforts last evening to contact APNU’s presidential candidate David Granger were unsuccessful as he was engaged in a series of meetings.
Earlier in the day, the party claimed that there had been instances of multiple voting, the use of a bogus ballot box and the establishment of new polling stations. Gecom Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally, however, rejected these assertions.
Meanwhile, contacted last evening, PPP/C presidential candidate Donald Ramotar declined to speak saying he would reserve his comment until he had more concrete information. At the time this newspaper contacted Ramotar, he indicated that this party had yet to receive any information from the polling stations.
Earlier in the day, PPP/C campaign spokesman Robert Persaud said that the party was generally satisfied at the conduct of the polls in spite of a few “isolated instances” of procedural breaches.
“We are generally satisfied with the activities that have taken place right across the country. But we are also disappointed in some of the isolated incidents and cases that have been brought to our attention by both our polling agents, our candidates and also others who have been monitoring the process,” PPP/C campaign spokesperson Robert Persaud said at a press briefing at Freedom House. He also indicated that there had been a high voter turn out up to the time he addressed the media yesterday afternoon just before 2 pm.
Presidential candidate for Alliance For Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan told Stabroek News that the elections were generally “very peaceful, well-conducted elections” and expressed optimism that his party has done well at the polls.
“We’re getting some very good vibes,” Ramjattan said last evening. He had just returned from the Corentyne when he was contacted by this newspaper and according to him the word on the ground was that the AFC had done pretty well there. Political analysts have been paying key attention to how much impact the presence of Moses Nagamootoo on the AFC’s platform would affect the incumbent PPP in one of its traditional strongholds.
Ramjattan said the party was being very vigilant since it believes the PPP/C will try to create mischief when it realizes that it is likely to demit office.
TUF prime ministerial candidate Marissa Nadir told Stabroek News that the day went well and that there was a great turnout by the electorate. She said her party was confident that it will perform credibly at the elections since it was able to appeal to its traditional supporters in Region 9 as well as in other areas across Guyana. She said that while the party’s traditional supporters were confused about what had been happening in with the party, this was clarified when the leadership went into the region.
