The Caricom Observer Mission to the just-concluded General and Regional Elections in Guyana said the voting process was transparent, free and fair.
“The secrecy of the ballot was protected and respected,” the Caricom Observers said in an Interim Statement. The 10-member team was led by Earl Simpson, Deputy Director of Elections, Electoral Office, Jamaica and Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer, Elections and Boundaries Department, Belize. The observers said at polling stations they visited, electors were able to exercise their franchise in a peaceful and orderly manner and without incidents.
“We observed no signs of intimidation, harassment, or campaigning to influence or obstruct the democratic process. The election staff performed their duties extremely well and commendations are in order. The police were able to regulate the flow into the polling stations and ensured that the lines remained orderly. They were quite professional in their interaction with the polling station staff, electors and the various political stakeholders,” the statement said.
The Chief and Deputy Chief of Mission arrived in Guyana on Wednesday May 6 and the remaining team members comprising officials from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Dominica, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, arrived on Friday May 8. After meeting with local stakeholders and other local and international observer groups that fielded teams in the elections, the Caricom Observers were fully briefed by the Chief and Deputy Chief of Mission on Saturday May 9. Later that evening the full team attended a political meeting to “get a sense of the political atmosphere on the ground. We are not aware and neither have we been informed of any major election related violence during the campaign period,” the group said.
On Election Day teams were deployed to observe the elections in regions Four, Six and Ten. The observers visited a total of 224 polling stations within 87 polling places. The team arrived at the polling stations around 5am to observe the opening of the poll process. “From our observation there was adequate police presence at the locations. The polling staff arrived on time with all the necessary election supplies for the conduct of the poll. In the majority of cases, the political party agents of the PPP/C and APNU+AFC were present. The various signage and instructions to the electors were posted. Election Staff carried out the opening of the poll procedures as instructed. All polling stations we observed opened at 6:00 a.m. with lines of enthusiastic voters present.”
Voting process
At polling stations the team visited, “We observed that the polling station staff was properly trained in the execution of their duties. In addition, they were courteous and provided assistance to incapacitated voters. They informed voters of the voting process in an impartial and transparent manner. The voting process was conducted according to the procedures and guidelines outlined by the [Guyana Elections Commission] GECOM.
Close of poll
The team arrived at polling stations it identified to observe the close of polls about one hour before they were scheduled to close. “At 6:00 p.m.; the polling station staff declared the polling station closed and we observed that they conducted the close of poll in accordance with the procedures and guidelines outlined by GECOM.”
Counting of Ballots
The Mission said after the close of poll procedures “the ballot boxes were opened in the presence of the political party agents and observers and the ballots were counted. Again, the polling station staff followed procedures and guidelines outlined by GECOM.” The results of the count were recorded on the Statement of the Poll and all the parties present signed the document. Copies were also given the political party agents and posted at the entrance of polling stations.
The Caricom Observers commends GECOM for its administration of the electoral process, the political parties and their representatives, for the peaceful and orderly manner in which they conducted themselves on Election Day. The group also extended appreciation and thanks to the Caricom Secretary-General and his staff for inviting them to participate in the Mission along with the requisite expertise and support that allowed them to fulfil their mandate.
“In our view, the conduct of the Poll should result in the expression of the will of the people of Guyana. It is our hope that the results will be accepted and respected,” the observers said.
