DOOKERAN QUERIES INTERNAL ELECTION

Dookeran’s motion is expected to be debated at today’s National Executive meeting. In the letter, dated Tuesday October 31, Dookeran outlined 15 specific issues which, he said, should be investigated. These include:

1) Subsequent to the counting of the ballots at various polling stations on October 2, were they secured in an appropriate manner for transport?

2) Were the ballot boxes transported with appropriate security, to ensure that they were not tampered with prior to the arrival at the party headquarters at Rienzi Complex?

3) When did the ballot boxes arrive at Rienzi Complex?

4) Were official result sheets submitted to the Election Management Committee (EMC) with the ballot boxes?

5) Did the EMC take custody of the ballot boxes upon their arrival at Rienzi Complex?

6) Did the EMC properly secure the ballot boxes at Rienzi Complex to preclude unauthorised access to them?

7) Did the EMC have clear rules for the recounting process?

8) Did the EMC have proper control over the recount?

9)Were candidates and their agents improperly involved in the recount process?

10) What factors account for the increase in votes at the recount, particularly in the constituencies of Princes Town and Oropouche?

11) How many ballots were printed , who had control over them and what guarantees existed to ensure that additional ballots were printed subsequent to October 2?

12) Did the final recount result accurately reflect the number of votes?

13) Were adequate security arrangements put in place during the period October 2 - 8 to ensure that the integrity of ballots and ballot boxes were not compromised?

14) Was it possible for ballots and/or ballot boxes to be tampered with between October 2 - 8?

15) Was the result of the recount compromised in any way by any irregularity (if any) which the EMC might have found during the course of the inquiry?