UNC threatens legal action over Arima Northeast votes

THE Opposition UNC is threatening legal action against the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) after a recount of votes in Arima Northeast gave the district to the PNM.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, UNC PRO Kirk Meighoo said the party had written to EBC chief elections officer Fern Narcis-Scope with questions about irregularities in the check of votes in the district after the August 14 local government elections.

Meighoo said the UNC wants a reply by 4 pm on Tuesday as it awaits word from its attorneys about filing an election petition for Arima Northeast.

In its letter to the commission, the UNC asked whether a ballot from one polling station bore marks indicating it had been questioned. The party also asked whether there were four ballots from another polling station which were marked as questionable.

On August 24, the EBC said the PNM won the Arima Northeast district, which falls under the Arima Borough Corporation.

In the August 14 local government elections, the PNM and UNC each received 623 votes in the district.

On August 15, the UNC requested a recount. That recount gave the UNC 624 votes to the PNM's 623.

The EBC then accepted a request from the PNM for a check of that recount.

It issued a statement on August 24 that the PNM candidate, Kim Magdalene Garcia, received two additional votes when that check was done.

It said, "This result overturns the outcome of the recount, which was conducted during the period August 16-17, 2023 and saw the UNC candidate Jairzinho Domingo Gustav Rigsby being declared the winner."

The result of the second recount gave the PNM 625 votes and the UNC 624.

The EBC said this recount was conducted by assistant chief election officer Pamela Ogiste, in accordance with Election Rule 106(1) of the Representation of the People Act.

In both recounts, the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP), which also contested the district, got 81 votes.

The PNM hailed the EBC's announcement as a victory.

Garcia was sworn in along with other PNM councillors at the Malabar Community Centre on August 25.

The PNM currently holds all seven districts in the Arima Borough Corporation.