The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has decided that the national recount of votes cast on the March 2 General and Regional Election will commence on Wednesday, May 6, and the orders are expected to be gazetted tomorrow.
This decision was taken following an hours-long meeting today, Sunday, during which Chairperson of GECOM, retired Justice Claudette Singh expressed that she is not against the livestreaming of the recount. Aspects of the livestreaming are still to be finalized and this will be done when the Commission meets tomorrow before the order is gazetted.
PPP-Nominated Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, speaking to media operatives following the meeting disclosed that while it had appeared that the decision against livestreaming was already made previously, it as the Chairperson who reintroduced the issue following a meeting with political parties on Saturday at the recount venue where the parties petitioned for the livestreaming of the process.
Gunraj noted that while Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield expressed some concerns about livestreaming, the Chairperson indicated that the final decision on the matter will be communicated tomorrow.
Gunraj took the opportunity to opine that any person opposed to having the process livestreamed has something to hide.
He also shared that the foreign observers remain engaged on their participation and it is anticipated that both local and foreign observers and party representatives will be briefed on the recount plan soon. The Chairman has insisted that the envelopes with the unused ballots must be opened.
Meanwhile, Government-Nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander disclosed that the GECOM Chairperson desired to have photographs taken when the containers containing the ballot boxes are opened so that the public can see that they were not tampered with, adding that she is also open to an audio broadcast of the recount.
