The APNU+AFC Coalition during yesterday’s tabulation made significant gains, managing to decrease the lead held by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in the General Elections to 7,073 votes.
With just over 88% or 2,063 General Statements of Recounts tabulated the Coalition has amassed 188,112 votes compared to 195,185 earned by the PPP/C. This includes the complete tally for all electoral districts with the exception of District Four.
A total of 2068 Regional Statements of Recount (SORs) have also been tabulated.
Meanwhile at the 12 counting stations the day began with 326 boxes still to be processed, 324 were from District Four while one was from District Six and one from District 10. These stations handling the final two boxes swiftly completed the processing and by midmorning all stations were counting boxes from District Four. At the close of the day they had managed to complete 81 of which 17 were from polling places in North Georgetown and 64 from the East Coast of Demerara.
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has been processing results from the Districts based on the four sub-districts of the East Bank, South George-town, North Georgetown and East Coast. Three of these sub-districts have already been processed leaving 243 boxes from Plaisance to Mahaica to be processed over the next three days.
It is expected that once the count and tabulation are completed on Sunday and Monday respectively that the Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield will complete the report and submit to the Commission on or before June 13.
According to the Order governing the recount this report shall include the matrices for the recount of the Electoral Districts and a summary of the observation reports for each District.
With the matrices being publicly tabulated, Lowenfield’s major task will be a summary of the contents of the contentious Observation Reports. The contents of these reports have been the source of much dispute for the duration of the recount.
While the Coalition has argued that they include enough irregularities to bring into question the credibility of the Elections the other political parties have said that the matters raised such as possible multiple voting are complaints to be used in an Elections petition.
Also expected is a report from the CARICOM Scrutinising Team which may include their observations, recommendations, and conclusions. The Order does not state when this report is to be completed but it is possible that the team which has been in Guyana for over a month may submit as soon as the tabulation is completed.
