As the third day of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry got underway, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Lennox Shuman testified that discrepancies found during the tabulation process of District Four were blamed on exhausted GECOM workers.
Shuman, who was the Presidential Candidate of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) took the stand on Tuesday and recounted that in March of 2020, at GECOM’s Command Center in the Ashmin Building, there were a number of inconsistencies.
Shuman claimed that the inconsistencies derived from data and Statement of Polls that were different from observers. This, he recounted, prompted agents to demand from the hierarchy of GECOM an explanation as to what might have gone wrong with the data.
“There was a complaint about the inaccuracies, several complaints, to the Chief Elections Officer. He then attributed the discrepancies to the fact that the staff was tired… I was appalled once again that given the kind of resources at GECOM’s disposal, they did not put the necessary mechanisms in place to ensure that the process was concluded in a timely manner.” Shuman said.
Shuman told the Commission that he expressed his disappointment directly to the Chief Elections Officer. He noted that the CEO uttered no words in response to his concerns.
Commissioner Carl Singh however said, “Mr. Shuman, I am a bit troubled by your evidence by which you tell us that as a political party representative, in a position as a presidential candidate, you were making observations, recommendations… to the Chief Elections Officer… and he made no response to you? In light of all you were saying he walked away?”
Shuman replied, “In light of all we said there were several instances where the CEO, not having a response, just downed his head and listened quietly. I cannot speak to the motives behind that… There were several instances where he came in, sat there and not uttered a word.”
He recounted that despite the concerns of agents, the CEO suggested that the process be stopped and continued the next day. The process, according to Shuman had halted for the night and resumed the next day.
