PPP’s Presidential Candidate Mohamed Irfaan Ali at a GPF voting station
Members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force (GPF), and Guyana Prison Service (GPS) constituted the lot.
GECOM had set up about 60 polling places across the country, with some 10,000 ballots extracted for the disciplined forces across the ten regions.
Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) officials, led by Chair Justice Claudette Singh, visited several polling places to make sure that the process was running smoothly. She told reporters, after observation, that the voting process was going unfettered and smooth.
Kaieteur News visited several polling places as well. It visited Base Camp Ayanganna, Eve Leary, the Camp Street Prison and the Brickdam Police Station.
President David Granger, at GDF’s Camp Ayanganna
Military officers marched in the Camp Ayanganna compound at 6 o’ clock before heading to several polling stations within the compound to cast their votes.
Army Chief of Staff Brigadier Patrick West told members of the media that he is satisfied with the way the process was undergoing.
Leader of the governing coalition, David Granger, arrived at Camp Ayanganna at sunrise to observe the process. From there, he moved to several other polling stations.
“The process is smooth; it is proceeding without interruption. I am very satisfied with the turnout and I think the people of Guyana can be assured that the disciplined forces are performing their civic duty. They are not being obstructed by the administration in any way and the administration of the elections commission seems to be functioning efficiently,” the incumbent President said yesterday.
He was accompanied by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) frontbencher, Joseph Harmon.
Presidential Candidate for the major opposition party, People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Mohamed Irfaan Ali, was also observed visiting several polling places, including the Brickdam Station. Prime Ministerial candidate Brigadier Mark Phillips also made some visits. Also out and about were electoral observers, including Carter Center officials.
At Police Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary, Kaieteur News spoke to Deputy Commissioner, Paul Williams, who said that the process was running just as smoothly as at the military camp. He said that the turnout was considerable.
Another polling place this publication visited was the Ex-Prison Officers’ Association on Bent Street, near the prison. The atmosphere there was quaint compared to the populous Eve Leary and Ayanganna bases.
The day was eventful, but there were no disturbances of the electoral process.
UPDATE:
82 percent of Disciplined Services members voted in general elections
In an early Saturday morning release of statistics, GECOM spokeswoman Yolanda Ward said 8,369 of the 10,226 police, soldiers and prison service personnel voted at 86 polling places countrywide.
Giving a breakdown, the GECOM official said 5,400 or 80.6 percent of members of the Guyana Police Force, 2,539 or 83.6 percent of soldiers, and 430 or 88.1 percent of prison service personnel voted.
The Disciplined Services personnel voted on Friday ahead of civilians who will vote on March 2. That is because police, soldiers and prison service personnel are required to provide security and peacekeeping duties on election day and the days leading up to and possibly after results are declared.
GECOM Chairman, Claudette Singh hopes that results can be declared within five days. The law gives GECOM up to 15 days to declare results.
