Eccles residents to vote in cow pasture
GECOM voting place snafu
…2000 voters to use 1 cramped Health Centre
With the removal of private residences in Eccles, East Bank Demerara, as polling places, concern is being expressed that large numbers of voters will be inconvenienced on Election Day by the use of tents in compounds and even a field used to graze cows.
![](https://guyanatimesgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Cow-pasture.jpg)
The prevailing concern is that instead of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) facilitating a smooth and easy process, the Secretariat’s decisions will make voting so difficult for voters in Eccles, that they will stay home.
At Eccles Health Centre, which is being used as a polling place, almost 2000 persons are scheduled to vote. When this publication examined the building itself, the interior appeared somewhat cramped to accommodate polling day staff and a crowd of voters.
There is only one entrance and exit into the yard. In addition, voting is a process that can take five to ten minutes for individual voters. In cases where a voter does not have an ID card, they have to be interviewed by the Presiding Officer, who has to compare the voter’s face to the registered voter in the folio.
![](https://guyanatimesgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Hafeez-Hack.jpg)
It is only after the officer is satisfied regarding the voter’s identity and an oath is taken, that they are allowed to vote. This newscast was informed that a tent will be erected in the yard, but even this appeared to be a challenge. Former parliamentarian and Eccles resident, Neil Kumar spoke of the logistical challenges should GECOM go ahead with this plan.
![](https://guyanatimesgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tent.jpg)
“This polling place has six polling stations. At this polling place, we have 1955 persons registered to vote. Our concern is that when we went into the building and spoke to the doctor, there’s not a single room in the building that can accommodate a Polling Station. Why?”
“A Polling Station will have to have a desk for the Presiding Officer, the Deputy Presiding Officer, the Ballot Clerk, plus they must have a desk for at least nine Polling Agents. None of the rooms can accommodate that. Even if you put them out here, there isn’t room to accommodate six Polling Stations.”
Unsuitable
This publication was pointed to a spot in the compound which is the expected location for a tent. Kumar contended that the yard is an unsuitable location. He noted that in the past, several private residences were used in Eccles without incident.
![](https://guyanatimesgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Eccles-Polling.jpg)