EBC: Recounts ongoing in four constituencies

RECOUNTS are ongoing in the constituencies of La Horquetta/Talparo, St Joseph, Toco/Sangre Grande and Tunapuna, reported Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) corporate communications manager Bobbi Rogers.

She said in La Horquetta/Talparo 36 out of 53 ballot boxes had been counted, in Tunapuna 28 out of 51 ballot boxes had been counted, and in Toco/Sangre Grande 49 out of 60 ballot boxes had been counted. She added confirmed figures for St Joseph were not available but the number of ballot boxes counted was in the twenties.

Rogers explained all the ballot boxes for each electoral district was being recounted. On polling day the ballot boxes would be counted in the respective polling stations by the presiding officer.

"Now it is being done by the returning officer which takes a long time."

She reported the recount in Toco/Sangre Grande was going well and a couple of questions had been raised and agreed to by all present. She said things in La Horquetta/Talparo were going similarly well.

"St Joseph and Tunapuna are the only districts where returning officers indicated there were issues. So two are moving swimmingly and two are hindered by objections."

UNC candidate for St Joseph Ahloy Hunt told the media Thursday he intends to make a formal complaint to the EBC querying the legality of 159 ballots in favour of PNM candidate Terrence Deyalsingh. Hunt, in a phone interview with Newsday on Thursday, claimed the initials of the deputy presiding officer at polling station 1041 in Mt Hope, a PNM stronghold, appeared to be irregular during the recount exercise on Wednesday. The candidate said the presiding officer’s initials at the back of the ballot should have read "CE," but did not seem to be on the disputed ballots.

Also on Thursday UNC candidate for Tunapuna David Nakhid told the media the EBC had been setting the schedule for the recount according to the wishes of the PNM legal team. The UNC contingent walked out twice during the recount due to the scheduling issue.

Rogers, however, told Newsday the returning officer in Tunapuna, Edmund Alexander, had indicated the UNC delegation had obstructed the recount. She said he reported they were advised of the time to start on Wednesday and arrived several hours late. Alexander also reported the delegation said it wanted to conclude (at 5 pm) while the returning officer was prepared to continue the recount until the conclusion.

A recount had also been requested for the San Fernando West seat by UNC candidate Sean Sobers despite a defeat of more than 1,800 votes. The recount, which began on Tuesday, was completed on Thursday night and declared in favour of incumbent MP and PNM candidate Faris Al-Rawi.

Recounts had been requested in six seats following Monday's general election including in Tobago where Watson Duke of the Progressive Democratic Patriots also requested a recount in Tobago East. Duke, however, conceded defeat shortly after the exercise had started.