As members of the disciplined services across the country cast their ballots yesterday in early voting for the upcoming March 2nd general and regional elections, no major issues were reported.
Thousands of ranks from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) could be seen in queues at their designated polling stations early yesterday morning.
“We said we would come out early and that is what we did,” Police Commissioner Leslie James told reporters at Eve Leary.
James, who was one of the first in the long line to vote, described the process as very simple, saying like many others that it was “smooth.”
Army Chief-of-Staff Patrick West said a total of 3,000 soldiers were expected to vote countrywide. West was the first to cast his vote at Base Camp Ayanganna followed by other ranks.
Director of the Prison Service Gladwin Samuels offered praise to the infomercials which have been released by the Guyana Elections Commission, while noting that it made the process easy.
He explained that just over 500 prison service officers were voting and that those who had to travel to “outstations” to vote had been transported by the GPS.
“Hopefully by the end of the day, except for four recently reinstated ranks, all prison service officers would be provided an opportunity to visit the polling station they are assigned to. These four ranks will vote on March 2,” he explained, adding that at the prisons where active patrols remain necessary a rotation system had been implemented to facilitate voting.
‘Everybody hustle to catch it early’
Most polling stations had long lines before the polls were open at 6 am.
Stabroek News visited polling stations along the West Coast of Demerara, West Bank of Demerara, East Bank Demerara and in Central Georgetown yesterday to observe the process.
Party agents reported a problem-free process as voters were able to exercise their franchise without any hindrance. As of midday, the majority of the voters for of each polling station had already voted. Ranks who did not have the opportunity to vote at the polling station in the vicinity of their workplace were given time off to cast their vote.
Commander of Region Three Simon McBean told Stabroek News that he cast his vote around 9am. He said there were no complaints in his division. “As expected I had no difficulties,” McBean said.
He added that efforts were made to have the process sorted out before yesterday and so there was no delays/issues.
“…We were clear as to where our ranks were voting. Those who were not on the divisional voters’ list we knew where they were voting,” he explained while noting, “all that we had to do today was to ensure that ranks are given the opportunity, time to vote and we had arrangements put in place for that, also.”
Ranks were placed at polling stations based on where they were stationed. However, there were some instances where some had to travel beyond due to their assignments.
The Leonora Police station and La Grange Police stations were the two polling stations that were set up to accommodate ranks casting their voters along the West Bank and West Coast of Demerara.
As of 11.30 am, McBean said, almost half of the total electors had voted. The situation at LaGrange was the same.
Officer-in-charge of Sub-division No. 2 Superintendent R. Rose told Stabroek News that this polling station facilitated ranks from the sub-division, which includes the areas of Vreed-en-Hoop, La Parfait Harmonie, La Grange and Wales.
He said a total of 146 ranks were scheduled to vote there and as of midday, 91 had already voted.
Between the hours of 9 am and 10 am, and 6 am and 1 pm were deemed the periods when the most votes were cast at the Georgetown Prison Service Conference Room and at the Coast Guard’s Ruimveldt headquarters.
“It was comfortable. It was good, very calm and relaxed,” a voter at the Coast Guard headquarters said.
People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) party agent Dwayne Adams said the Georgetown Prison Conference Room had already attained an 82% turnout of the total voters as of 2.30 pm.
The situation was the same over at Brickdam police station, were as of 2.30 pm, 93 of the 137 registered voters had voted.
Meanwhile, Regional Deputy Commander of Region 4(B) Woman Superintendent D. Griffith described the process at Golden Grove Police Station as “excellent”. “Everybody hustle to catch it early,” she said.
At the Police Officers’ Mess, party agents for both PPP/C and the APNU+AFC reported that they had seen approximately 90% of voters show up at the three polling stations there.
They also said that the process was without any
hiccups despite 18 persons showing up to cast their ballots without identification cards.
Throughout the day polling stations had visits from GECOM commissioners, party agents and from members of the international observer missions present here.
Berbice
As hundreds of Joint Services members cast their ballots in Berbice yesterday, they too reported a smooth process while voting at the various locations.
The process was orderly and quiet at the New Amsterdam Police Station, where a total of 198 ranks were expected to cast their ballots along with 42 soldiers, while 206 members were expected to vote at the Whim Police Station, 128 at the Springlands Police Station and 113 at the New Amsterdam Prisons Club.
Commander of Region Six Calvin Brutus stressed that the process was a very smooth one. Stabroek News observed the process while Commander Brutus was casting his ballot yesterday at the New Amsterdam Police Station. It took just between three and four minutes.
This publication also observed other officers who took the same time or less, after which they returned to their duties.
Commander Brutus also indicated that systems were in place to facilitate officers who yesterday discovered that their names were on different lists within the division or out of the division. “We are putting systems in place to take them. Those that got to vote Georgetown will go with the police transportation and those who have to vote at different areas around the region will be facilitated to do so… Some gone up to Whim, some gone up to Springlands, even though they are stationed here,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Commander of Region Five Yonette Stephens, who voted at the Fort Wellington Police Station, also told Stabroek News that the process was a smooth one in her division.
Other members voting within both divisions also indicated that there were no major hiccups once they clarified the locations where they had to cast their ballots.
Meanwhile, addressing preparedness for elections on March 2nd, Brutus said, “We are quite ready. We are quite ready. We have done all our training but we cannot exhaust the training. We will continue to do refreshers until election day. All our security arrangements are in place. We have our order already made out and submitted”.
Further, he related, that security at the New Amsterdam Prison will also beefed up during the upcoming elections period. “The riverine areas out on the coastline we have persons there. We have our standby public order unit, a complete unit with full kit and trained already, and all other arrangements are there just waiting now for the actual day to roll out,” he added. (Additional reporting by Bebi Oosman)