33,000 face masks for a recount, what’s next? – GECOM Commissioner

News that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will have to procure a minimum of 33,000 face masks for the recount of the March 2 polls is being is seen as demonstrative of observations made by Barbadian Prime Minister, Mia Mottley that there are forces that are averse to the activity meant to deliver credible elections.

The position was adumbrated on Tuesday by Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, who during a radio interview lamented the guidelines that have been imposed by the National COVID-19 Task Force.

News reports surfacing on Tuesday indicated that the Task Force has recommended to the Commission that personnel involved in the recount process be outfitted with Personal Protective Equipment, namely, face masks, to reduce the possibility of transmission of the virus.
The Task Force has told the Commission that its staff would have to dispose of and use a new face mask every 30 or 60 minutes.

Having already approved the use of 10 counting stations at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, utilising a total of 132 persons working 10-hour days, it would amount to a minimum of 33,000 face masks to be procured and used by the Commission in order to proceed with the recount while complying with the Public Health Ordinance’s Emergency Measures.

The PPP Commissioner railed against the suggestion, saying “I don’t know who is responsible for the extrapolation of that requirement to say that we need 33,000 masks”.
According to Gunraj, the diktat “is bordering on heresy now because you are reading that these masks have to be changed every thirty or sixty minutes”.

The attorney-at-law used the occasion to point out that it is a matter of public notoriety that PPE is in short supply the world over”.
He observed that this has even led to trade wars between several counties.
Gunraj drew reference to the fact that there are persons in the local healthcare institution who are currently “begging for donations of these very important pieces of equipment”.
Pointing out that frontline doctors are not even being provided with PPE, Gunraj questioned: “who is making up these rules” and which health guideline stipulates that face masks be changed every half hour.

Forces behind the scene
In questioning the Task Force’s motivation behind the recommendation, Gunraj drew reference to the fact that Mottley on March 17 – following a decision to leave Guyana after the work of the high-level delegation had been frustrated by a court challenge – observed that there are forces in Guyana averse to the recount, saying “it all comes down to that”.
Not wanting to sound pessimistic, according to the Commissioner, he questioned: “if you see things like these being popped up and spanners being thrown into the work you ask yourself what next.”

Unaware of Caricom team’s arrival
Additionally, Gunraj said that the Commissioners have not been informed of any word from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) with regards to a delegation that it will be fielding to observe the recount process.
This is despite a public announcement by the Task Force that it has received word from Caricom that its delegation would arrive in Guyana on Thursday and has also requested special permission which was granted for travel to the country.

According to Gunraj, despite the news reports from the Task Force announcing the arrival of the delegation, the Commission is yet to be formally notified.
He indicated that the Commission is set to meet today at which point in time the Commissioners are expected to be updated.

Additionally, he was unable to say if any of the GECOM officials taking part in the recount process are being required to be tested for COVID-19 ahead of taking part in the process as has been demanded of the Caricom nationals before they depart their home countries.

The Caricom delegation had been re-invited by the Commission’s Chair, Retired Justice Singh, to take part in observing the recount of the March 2 General and Regional Elections.
A Caricom delegation chaired by former Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Dominica, Francine Baron had travelled to Guyana to take part in the recount process at the request of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo purportedly with the agreement of caretaker President David Granger who had also initialled the aide-memoire, formalising the agreement.

It was later challenged by one of Granger’s candidates, Ulita Moore, which led to the team leaving the country without being able to witness the recount.
The second invitation was communicated to LaRocque this past week, however, his response was communicated with the Task Force instead.
Late Monday evening, the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) announced that the approval was given and the team will arrive on Thursday.

LaRocque indicated to the COVID-19 Task Force that arrangements would be made for the members of the team to be tested in their respective country, using the World Health Organisation’s approved PCR COVID-19 test.
Mottley’s delegation had also included former Minister of Finance of Grenada, Anthony Boatswain; Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government of UWI, Cynthia Barrow-Giles; Chief Electoral Officer of Barbados, Angela Taylor; and Chief Elections Officer of Trinidad and Tobago Fern Narcis-Scope.