Rohee: PPP has evidence of irregularities
- …says report being compiled for GECOM
THE General-Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee yesterday disclosed that the party has evidence of irregularities that have surfaced during the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) ongoing claims and objections period.“We are currently now compiling the information and preparing the necessary documentation. This information will be sent by letter before the day is out,” he said at a news conference, held at Freedom House, Robb Street.
PADDING OF PLE According to him, GECOM needs to explain to the nation the “steep surge” in names amounting to over 78,000 new registrants on the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE), when traditionally new registrants amount to approximately 11,000. “The PPP demands a complete breakdown of the new registrants and their origin,” he said. Rohee surmised that it would seem that there is some “padding” of the Preliminary List of Electors. He said, “Over the past 24 hours, it has been brought to our attention that in certain communities that have traditionally supported the PNC (People’s National Congress), that on checking, the PLE irregularities have begun to surface in regard to names appearing on the list. Indications are that the PLE may very well be padded.” The General-Secretary added that the “sudden surge” to 78,000 is worrisome, which is why the PPP has approached the problem with a process of verification to find out where the 78,000 names came from, and that is exactly what is happening on the ground. “That is why we have to carry out house to house visits across the country and find out where these names are and where they came from…we have already picked up inconsistencies,” he said.
ELECTION MODE The General-Secretary contends that these issues are routine, once a country goes into “election mode”, given the no-confidence motion that was handed over to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs, and is supported by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). “I just want to say as we go into election mode, issues begin to surface. This is nothing new to us and I said this at our last press conference, that given the experience we have, it is not unusual for us to find problems in the electoral process – associated with the list, the machinery, with the personnel, and as we discover things, we will speak publicly about them, because we also are interested in transparencies and accountability,” he said. To this end, Rohee made it clear that the ruling party will remain engaged with GECOM to ensure that all concerns expressed are addressed. “We will continue to be engaging with GECOM. In fact, our task is the help GECOM. GECOM should be glad that our party has people out there assisting them with checking the list, which will assist them in ensuring that the list is untainted,” he concluded.
(By Vanessa Narine )