PPP asking for a recount at 48 Polling stations

The Peoples Progressive Party (PPPC) has asked for votes cast at 48 polling stations to be recounted, a process that could delay the announcement of final election results. “Naturally, this would have an impact on the timeliness of the declaration of the officla results by the Chief Elections Officer,” said spokesman for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Vishnu Persaud. He told reporters that votes cast at 13 stations on the East Bank Demerara and 35 in Georgetown would be recounted. The recount would have to be done in the presence of party agents, Returning Officers and relevant personnel. Demerara Waves Online News ( www.demwaves.com ) was told that the PPPC requested the recount because their party representatives did not witness the count at the places of poll. “Some of the counting agents were denied access in certain parts of Georgetown due to the confusion at some polling stations. Some of those denied access were candidates to the count,” said PPPC Campaign Coordinator, Robert Persaud. Against the background of the PPPC announcing on its Facebook pages that it has won the elections, GECOM urged Guyanese to disregard any other results. “Please allow me to state categorically that the official, genuine and authentic results of will be declared by the Chief Elections Officer and by no other person,” said Persaud. Touching on the unavailability of results from Districts 1, 7, 8 and 9, the commission spokesman explained that a number of aircraft had been expected by midday. However, the aircraft from Region One was due to arrive with the Statements of Poll at 3:30 PM; the one from Region Nine at 5:30 PM and the other from Region Seven at 6 PM. The opposution coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has since issued a statement, saying that it has not been notified of the PPPC's request for recount: A Partnership for National Unity (A.P.N.U) has just learned that the PPP has requested a recount of votes in Regions 3, 4 and 10. While this is their democratic right the APNU views this move with much suspicion.  In the first place the Election Agent of A.P.N.U has not been officially informed of this request as of 15:00 hrs (3:00 pm). Second, the PPP, having declared themselves the winner of the Presidency earlier today, it is strange that they should be asking for a recount. Third, we have no confidence that the integrity of the ballot boxes has not been compromised since the end of the official count last evening.  In this regard, A.P.N.U is forced to conclude that this is yet another attempt by the PPP to stall the announcement of the results of these elections and to create confusion among the population.  A.P.N.U has been exercising patience and restraint in the face of demands from our supporters for the results of the elections to be made known. We continue to urge our supporters to be calm and to keep the peace but we are cognisant of the fact that the prolonged delay can only serve to increase suspicion among the population.  We, therefore, call on GECOM to address this matter urgently, since what is at stake is the very integrity of the electoral process.