DISCIPLINED SERVICES VOTE: SMOOTH, BUT A COUPLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GEORGETOWN 000838

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

WHA/CAR
WHA/OAS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINS KDEM GY
SUBJECT: DISCIPLINED SERVICES VOTE: SMOOTH, BUT A COUPLE
GLITCHES


1. (U) SUMMARY: In a preview of the August 28 elections,
members of Guyana's disciplined services voted on August 21.
Initially there was confusion over the ballots at a few
polling stations and some service members did not find their
names on the voters list. This underscores the fallibility of
the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) voter education
efforts -- the same glitches on Election Day could spell much
greater confusion. Otherwise, the day proceeded without
incident as an estimated 70-80 percent of the services' 8,000
members cast votes. Local and international observers present
at the stations have reported that the process went
relatively smoothly. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Members of the Guyana Defense Force (GDF),Guyana
Police Force (GPF),Guyana Prison Service and Guyana Fire
Service cast their votes August 21 -- a week before the
general election -- so they can work on Election Day. Service
members voted at 48 polling stations as well as scattered
mobile voting stations in Guyana's interior. The independent
Stabroek News quoted GECOM chairman Steve Surujbally
estimating a turnout of 70-80 percent. Local and
international observer groups have not indicated that
problems occurred on any widespread scale. Local observer
group the Electoral Assistance Bureau, which observed 37 the
polling stations, reported that the voting went fairly
smoothly.


3. (U) Media reports indicated that some service members
initially refused to vote because the ballots lacked a six
digit stamp that is normally placed on each ballot at the
polling station prior to voting. This prompted GECOM to meet
with political party representatives and issue a statement
and television advertisement clarifying that the disciplined
services' ballots are in fact not supposed to be stamped
until they arrive at designated polling places for counting
on Election Day. The ballots will then be stamped with the
number of that polling station and mixed with the general
ballots for counting. (Note: This system is intended to
maintain the secrecy of how the disciplined services' vote.
It is an improvement over the 2001 election, when their votes
-- heavily in favor of the opposition PNC -- were tallied
separately then leaked to the press.) This glitch appears to
have resulted from poor communication on GECOM's part rather
than a conspiracy.


4. (SBU) In addition, media sources as well as Locally
Employed Staff with relatives in the GPF reported instances
of voters unable to find their name on the voters list and
thus prevented from voting, although the extent of this was
unsubstantiated. Of the Chief of Mission's two GPF
bodyguards, one voted and the other did not find his name on
the voters list -- despite checking the list repeatedly in
recent weeks and reporting this omission to his
supervisor.Stabroek News reported that the GPF failed to
submit accurate information on some of its ranks, and that
those who were unable to vote on August 21 would be allowed
to vote in the general election on August 28. Georgetown's
rumor mill quickly speculated that the ruling People's
Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) was telling police ranks not
to vote on August 21 as a way to disenfranchise a group that
traditionally supports the opposition PNC -- a far-fetched
yet unsurprising theory.


5. (U) The political parties' statements on the process were
predictable. Media reports quoted PPP/C spokesman Robert
Persaud as saying the process was "smooth and orderly"
despite initial confusion. Meanwhile, opposition People's
National Congress-One Guyana spokesman Vincent Alexander
alleged that "a large number of voters" were unable to find
their name on the voters' list and called on GECOM to mount a
public relations exercise to ensure similar confusion does
not occur on Election Day. Alliance For Change (AFC)
Presidential candidate Raphael Trotman also expressed concern
about the unstamped ballots.


6. (SBU) COMMENT: Less clear is how Guyana's service members
voted. The predominately Afro-Guyanese disciplined services
have historically supported the PNC, although with the
emergence of the AFC as a third-party challenger, this

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support may no longer be taken for granted. The PPP,
meanwhile, has been overtly courting joint services' support
in recent days. President Jagdeo heaped praise on the joint
services after they shot and killed eight men suspected of
committing a series of bank robberies August 18 -- an
about-face after Jagdeo spent most of 2006 criticizing the
GPF and GDF. On August 20, the day before the disciplined
services voted, the Government Information Agency also issued
a statement from President Jagdeo that the security forces
would receive a special allowance for working on Election Day.


7. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: While the disciplined services
vote was by most accounts well-run, the initial confusion
surrounding the balloting procedures highlights both the
failures of GECOM's public relations efforts and the
atmosphere of tension and suspicion as Guyana heads toward
the August 28 election. GECOM has a very thin margin of
error, as administrative details that at first glance may
seem mundane could easily become the basis for political
unrest. END COMMENT.

Thomas