NEWS
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SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Recount confirms PPP/C victory in Region 1
...APNU/AFC now forced to hatch new plot to attack integrity of electoral process – PPP/C
T
he recount of the ballots cast in Region One (Barima-Waini) for the General and Regional Election has been completed by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), and the 198 Statements of Recount generated from the exercise for each of the ballot boxes in the region have since confirmed an electoral victory in that district for the Opposition Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C). The recount of the votes for Region One by the Guyana Elections Commission
(GECOM) at the end of Thursday had completed 98 of 99 ballot boxes, but the process had to be stalled since the contents of one of the ballot boxes were still to be assessed, since the receptacle was found to be soaked on the first day the container was opened. By the end of day 10 on Friday, however, the contents had been air-dried and found to be legible enough for the recount to be completed without resort to any of the speculated alternatives proffered. For Region One the PPP/C received 8002 votes while
APNU/AFC received 3909 in the general elections. The LJP party received 170, PRP 24 and URP six. There was a 66 per cent voters’ turnout. Additionally, the recount process underway at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) completed an additional 57 boxes, bringing the total for the day to 58 boxes. A breakdown of the recount during the course of the day illustrates that while the one box was completed for Region One, culminating the count for that district, another 13 box-
Convicted thief ’s leap to freedom short-lived …recaptured moments after escaping from NA Prison
Convicted: Rai Joseph
The convict Rai Joseph being escorted back to prison
A
man who was serving a 15- month jail sentence for simple larceny was on Friday morning recaptured minutes after escaping from the New Amsterdam Prison. The escaped prisoner has been identified as Rai Joseph, who escaped at about 06:45h on Friday. Joseph, in a dash for freedom, scaled the fence of the facility. However, Prison Service ranks at the security tower saw when
Joseph jumped the fence, and they raised an alarm. Ranks pursued and recaptured him in the ward of Winkel, less than one hundred metres away from the prison fence. He was found lying flat in a clump of bushes in an alleyway. One resident of the community told this publication that the escaped prisoner had gone into his yard. “I was downstairs, and whilst on my phone, I heard
the front gate rattling, so I came to the door to see what is going on. Upon looking, I did not see anyone, (but) realising that it had to be someone scaled the fence, I decided to enquire. When I went on the step, I saw the movement at the back of my fence, and there is it where the guy was hiding. “About five minutes (later), some of the officers from the Prison Service, backed up by the Police, came, and they were able to apprehend him and escort him back,” the resident said. When Joseph was found, he was wearing only his short pants. He was promptly escorted back to the prison. The Prison Service has since launched an investigation into the incident. Joseph was expected to be released on December 11.
Travel restrictions in...
Meanwhile, passengers will be subjected to additional assessment on the purpose of their trip before being permitted to board the vessel. They are also asked to wear their mask at all times while onboard the vessel and maintain social or physical distancing. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in a passenger being denied re-boarding on the vessel. Persons permitted to travel to work for es-
sential services under the COVID-19 emergency measures notice are to have in his or her possession an official identification document and official work identification document; or proof of workplace which must be supplied if requested by the Guyana Police Force prior to boarding. “Please be reminded that T&HD will continue the aforementioned schedule unless otherwise publicly informed. It is apt to
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note that such restrictions on travel are for national health, safety, and protection. Persons are reminded to remain at home and adhere to the COVID-19 emergency measures,” the statement added. Over the past weeks, many truck drivers have complained about losses they would have suffered since the ferry service changed its operational schedule and then completely shut down all activities.
es were recounted for Region Two while another 17 were assessed for Region Three. According to a GECOM update provided last evening, a total of 15 ballot boxes were recounted for Region Four, while the newest region to see its votes being recounted — Region Five — had 12 of its ballot boxes recounted. To date, a total of 101, or 75 per cent of the 135 ballot boxes for that region, has been tabulated. This would position Region Two as the next electoral district that is likely to be completed. A total of 123 of the 355 ballot boxes for Region Three has since been tabulated, or 35 per cent of the votes; while just about 14 per cent of the boxes for Region Four have been completed.
The process has, over the past two days, completed tabulating 19 of the 158 ballot boxes.
Accuracy of PPP’s SoPs confirmed
With the count solidifying a PPP/C win for Region One, the party, on Friday in a statement, reaffirmed: “The National Recount process continues to confirm the accuracy of the Statements of Poll in the PPP’s possession, and as the process continues to unravel the brazen fraud of Clairmont Mingo.” Referring to the declarations that had been made by Region Four Returning Officer Mingo, the PPP/C insists “everyone knows that they (incumbent) have lost those elections, and everyone
knows that they used Mingo to attempt to fraudulently alter the elections result, and that when Mingo failed, they were forced to hatch this new plot to attack the integrity of the electoral process.” The PPP/C, as such, called on the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), “rather than going to these extremes at fabrication, all they have to do is release their Statements of Poll by which they claim they won the elections.” Additionally, the party reiterated calls for “work stations to be established, and for GECOM to take such step as are necessary to increase the speed of the process, so that it can he concluded as soon as possible.”
