Ntering polling stations -CoI hears

e tabulation at this time and we ould resume the next day,” he id.

Prior to this, Aaron said the tabation was being done and they xperienced some “challenges” ecause of the screen which was eing used. He said he brought this

the attention of Mingo. “I said at the screens were too small we ere not seeing the tabulation roperly…He said that is what

ey were provided with and that is hat we had to use,” Aaron called.

Asked by Chote about his sponse to Mingo’s decision to alt the process, Aaron said “we ere concerned because the expeency in which the results would ave had would have been signifiantly delayed”.

The party expressed their conern “profusely” to Mingo. Stating that we were surprised

at GECOM had not acquired nough human resource capabilies based on the amount of money

at was given to fund the elecons,” Aaron said.

However, he told the CoI that Mingo responded that his staff was red. “He (Mingo) said that his aff were tired and we would have

return the following day,” Aaron id.

Aaron added that he even asked Mingo if GECOM had backup

aff so that the process can connue but he said “no, they don’t”.

Not satisfied, Aaron further told e CoI that URP representatives protested to see Lowenfield. “We said that we were uncomfortable with the timing and the stopping of the counting and we want it to continue,” he recalled telling Mingo.

But they were told by Mingo that Lowenfield was unavailable. The URP representatives left Ashmins building.

Not feeling well

Later that day, Aaron told Chote that URP representatives returned to Ashmins building.

He said the verification process had not restarted but Mingo told him that it would resume “very shortly”. At the time, Mingo was in the tabulation centre.

Close to 11am that day, Aaron told the CoI the verification process was about to begin and URP representatives asked to be provided with tables to put their SOPs (Statements of Poll) on to participate in the process.

After “some” protest, they were provided with the tables and verification of polls commenced. “It entailed the results being called out by the GECOM representatives and posted on the screens that were displayed and we verify it with the Statements of Poll that we had,” Aaron said as he briefly detailed the process.

However, according to Aaron URP agents could not have seen the numbers and they protested again to Mingo and Lowenfield. “We said that the screens were too small. We were still not able to verify the numbers clearly and we would like to see them much larger,” he recalled.

In response, Aaron said Mingo told him “that is what we will have to work with”. As a result, URP representatives asked to see Lowenfield and after expressing their concern, he promised to “fix it” with “larger” screens.

When the process continued, Aaron said he was able to see numbers on the screen. The process continued for less than two hours before it was stopped again “abruptly” by Lowenfield. “He announced that we were going to stop and we would return the following day. Again, the staff needed to rest,” Aaron recalled.

According to Aaron, he and other party representatives told Lowenfield “we found it strange that they were going to stop the tabulation when we were now comfortable, everyone seemed to be in order and the tabulation was moving smoothly”.

However, he said Mingo insisted that GECOM staff needed to rest. Eventually, Aaron said he left the building and returned the following day around 9am.

At that time, no tabulation was being done and it was announced that Mingo was not feeling well.

Before this, he said he saw Mingo in the tabulation room. He appeared “pretty well”. Myers and Lowenfield were also present in the building.

At about midday, Aaron further told Chote that an ambulance arrived at the Ashmins building and Myers announced that Mingo was not well. “She (Myers) was shouting down that Mr Mingo was not well,” he called.

Aaron said Mingo was taken out on a stretcher.

He said he remained at Ashmins building for about three hours. Even after it was suggested that Mingo be replaced by another Returning Officer this was not done. “Even though we had made suggestions that a returning officer from another district come over,” he said.

On March 5, 2020, Aaron said he was present at Ashmins building when GECOM employees including Myers informed him and other party representatives that a bomb was in the building. For their safety, Aaron said they were told to evacuate the building. But with the tabulation process still incomplete, everyone was reluctant.

At this point, Aaron said he was aware that court proceedings had begun.

During the March 6th tabulation, Aaron told the CoI that a court marshal arrived with a notice to stop the verification process. He said police officers prevented the court marshal from serving the document to Mingo and counting continued.

“He (marshal) remained and he kept trying to get to Mr Mingo to serve the notice,” Aaron said.

It was at this point that now Attorney General, Anil Nandlall told the marshal that he needed to go to Mingo and within 20 to 30 minutes the notice was served.

After being served the notice, Aaron recalled Mingo informed those present that there was a court order and as such the verification process would have to stop. “He (Mingo) said that it would resume at GECOM head office…in the afternoon….He specifically said that there would be large screens there that would help us to verify the count,” he said.

Aaron told the CoI that he did show up and participated in the process. “There was a piece of cardboard with a cotton cloth thrown on it and there were issues and challenges getting the projector to focus on that material,” he said.

“On this occasion, a spreadsheet was not being used. They were using SOPs…. They were calling from the statement of polls and we enquired after we saw that the numbers were once again inconsistent,” Aaron further related.

While the numbers were “consistently off”, Aaron said concerns were raised and they were ignored. This caused URP to “withdrew” from the process.

He said left for home but had to be escorted by the police since he received threats from APNU+AFC supporters who had gathered outside after engaging the press and other party representatives.