Witness admits to difficulty in reconciling ballot box numbers
After one day of absence on Tuesday, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) Returning Officer for the 1997 general elections, Jerome Gajadar, resumed his testimony in the Esther Perreira elections petition yesterday before Justice Claudette Singh. Under cross-examination by Senior Counsel Peter Britton who is representing Perreira at the hearing, Gajadar admitted that he experienced difficulties in reconciling the numbers printed on ballot boxes against those set out on a list which was provided to him by the Elections Commission. This was verified in open court when the witness was asked by Britton to compare the numbers on a computer printout against those stated in his report. Britton yesterday also continued his examination of the statements of poll, which revealed that some for the national elections were signed while others were not and some for the regional elections were signed while others were not. This exercise was started on Friday. When the hearing continues today, Gajadar who was called by Senior Counsel Doodnauth Singh, who is appearing for the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), is expected to be further crossed-examined by Rex McKay SC. McKay is representing PNC Leader Desmond Hoyte. The elections petition has named as its respondents, the representatives of the lists of political parties which contested the elections and the CEO and is questioning the validity of the elections results.
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