Stabroek News
March 25, 2001
Guyana can only go forward if it can transcend ethnic politics - Commonwealth Observer Group
The Commonwealth Observer Group has said it is their belief that
Guyana will only be able to go forward if it can transcend its still
largely ethnic politics and find a way to build inclusiveness and
unity.
Chairperson of the group, Ieremia Tabai, in a departure statement
yesterday, said "that is the pre-eminent challenge before the
people and institutions of this country. We wish the people of Guyana
well as they face this central challenge."
One of a number of groups that came here to monitor last Monday's
general and regional elections, part of the Commonwealth Observer
Group was in Guyana since February 26, and they have been able to
observe the campaign, the preparations for the elections, the polling,
the counting of votes and the results process, the press statement
said.
The Group had noted in their Interim Statement that in many ways "this
was a good election." And "we have no reason to change the
overall assessment we made in our Interim Report," they asserted
yesterday, noting that since the Interim Statement they had seen more
of the results process and "it has been very slow."
In their view, "while there is clearly a great deal of work to
be done to improve election arrangements for the future, we believe
that these elections provide a basis for Guyana to go forward."
Stating that the results process together with the errors in the
Voters List have detracted from otherwise praiseworthy arrangements,
the Group expressed hope that before the next elections better
arrangements can be put in place.
They wished also that their report would make a small but positive
contribution to what they trust would be a bright future for Guyana. "We
are sure that the Commonwealth will continue to take a keen and
constructive interest in that future and that it will continue to
respond to any requests for assistance," they stated.
One member of the Group and two Commonmwealth Secretariat staff
members will remain here for a short period as representatives of the
Commonwealth Secretary-General, the statement added.
Over 7,000 ballots
rejected - Elections Commission
Chief Election Officer Gocool Boodoo has announced that the
Elections Commission will publish the names of polling stations for
each polling district, together with the votes cast for each list of
candidates at that polling station for the just concluded regional and
national elections.
This publication, because of its volume, will be carried in the
weekend newspapers of March 31, a public notice signed by Boodoo said
yesterday.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Elections Commission Major General (rtd)
Joe Singh has declared the number of rejected ballots in accordance
with the provisions of Section 99 of the Representation of the
People's Act.
General elections
Polling district ..................................................Rejected
ballots
Barima/Waini ...............................................................542
Region One
Pomeroon/Supenaam ....................................................461
Region Two
Essequibo Islands/West Demerara ..............................846
Region Three
Demerara/Mahaica ...................................................2,384
Region Four
Mahaica/Berbice .........................................................460
Region Five
East Berbice/Corentyne............................................1,553
Region Six
Cuyuni/Mazaruni .........................................................136
Region Seven
Potaro/Siparuni ..........................................................150
Region Eight
Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo.................................
272
Region Nine
Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice ...............................397
Region Ten
Total ......................................................................7,201
Regional elections
Polling district .............................................Rejected
ballots
Barima/Waini ............................................................594
Region One
Pomeroon/Supenaam .................................................495
Region Two
Essequibo Islands/West Demerara ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;977
Region Three
Demerara/Mahaica ................................................2,934
Region Four
Mahaica/Berbice ......................................................501
Region Five
East Berbice/Corentyne .........................................1,465
Region Six
Cuyuni/Mazaruni ......................................................176
Region Seven
Potaro/Siparuni ........................................................148
Region Eight
Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo ...............................335
Region Nine
Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice ..............................480
Region Ten
Total ......................................................................8,105
Wrong seat
allocation
A table in Friday's edition of this newspaper mistakenly attributed
one geographic seat in Region Four to the PPP/C when it should have
been given to the PNC.
The actual figures should read four seats for the PNC and three seats
for the PPP. This then changes the total number of geographic and
national seats for the two parties. The PNC therefore have 13
geographic and 14 national seats, the PPP 11 geographic and 24
national. The final table should look like this:
.....................................Geographic
.....................National..........
Total
PPP ......................................11
..................................24.................
35
PNC .....................................13
..................................14.................
27
GAP .......................................1
....................................1
...................2
ROAR ...........................................................................1
...................1
Stabroek News regrets the error.
Crowd gathered
to hear ruling
Singing disrupts court
A small but orderly crowd assembled outside the High Court yesterday
morning in the hope of hearing Chief Justice, Desiree Bernard's
decision on the injunction sought by the PNC REFORM, first hand.
Gathering from as early as 0900 hrs, women, students and men stood
peacefully behind police barricades and vowed to stay there until they
heard from the court.
At about 1055 hrs, in harmony with the chiming of the New Building
Society's clock, they burst into some gospel spirituals prompting
Emily Dodson and Sean Allicock, lawyers for PNC's executive member,
Joseph Hamilton who filed the restraining order, to leave the confines
of the court and appeal to them for quiet.
However, after being silent for a few minutes, they lifted their
voices in chorus again, again drawing the attorneys onto the street.
This time, Dodson went into the crowd and painstakingly explained to
them that Chief Justice Bernard was unable to hear the submissions
because of the distraction. She urged them to reassemble at another
angle if they insisted on singing.
At this point, the police took a decision to push back the
barricades, moving the crowd further away from the court. This action
was supported by the crowd, who helped the police to lift the
barricades and then enquired if their new spot was in keeping with the
ranks' plans.
A University of Guyana (UG) student who was in the gathering told
this newspaper that he was prepared to stand in the vicinity of the
court until he heard word from it.
A mother of five said she had left her six-month-old baby in the care
of her ten-year-old daughter since 0800 hrs so she could be part of
the "court action". She said she wanted to know what was
happening and that was a cost she was willing to pay.
Further up the road, some women decided to take up their concerns
with some male officers, but in the main the some 200 persons gathered
maintained the peace and behaved orderly.
Upon learning that the matter had been adjourned they left the area
in groups.
PNC/R concerned about
post-elections
police violence, social unrest
The People's National Congress REFORM (PNC/R) has expressed deep
concern that despite its repeated calls for all Guyanese to remain
calm and keep the peace, the immediate post-elections period has been
marred by incidents of police violence and social unrest.
A press release from the party Friday asserted that it "will
defend the constitutional right of all citizens to peacefully protest
and to register their disenchantment."
In that light, the PNC/R said it had to denounce the excessive force
and violence employed by the Guyana Police Force in handling a group
of mostly female citizens in Ann's Grove, East Coast Demerara, on
Friday.
"The Police, from all reports, wantonly and indiscriminately
fired live rounds and tear gas at the people gathered in the Ann's
Grove market area. The lives of innocent children who formed part of
the gathering were also threatened," the release said.
And the party declared that it is "concerned that in light of
the continued aggravation by the Police Force, the restraint that the
PNC REFORM has encouraged of all Guyanese may not be enough to contain
their frustration."
Noting that it is the responsibility of the Guyana Police Force to
protect and serve the rights of all citizens and to ensure law and
order in the nation, the PNC/R "recommends that it does so in a
manner that would gain the trust and confidence of the Guyanese public
and which would not violate the rights of citizens to have their
voices heard."
According to the release, in the Ann's Grove incident, Norris Allen,
27, was at work in a carpentry shop when he was shot in the leg. Two
more persons were also shot, one of whom was Bernard Pellew, who was
shot in his shoulder and foot as he was filling a bucket of water. The
party alleged also that in another "serious incident" some
elements of the Police Force made a totally unwarranted and unprovoked
raid on the home of PNC/R candidate Myrna Peterkin in Haslington, East
Coast Demerara.