Counting set to begin at City Centre
The polls are now closed and all that remains is for the ballots to be counted. Standing by at Belize City Centre are News Five’s Stewart Krohn and Ernesto Vasquez. Stewart, what’s the situation like.
Aired at approximately 6:25 p.m.
Stewart Krohn
“The situation out here is well under control. Directly behind me the first ballots are already being counted in the City Centre arena.”
Ernesto Vasquez
“I can see that it’s getting a little more busy as the night goes on. First was led by Lake I; we have Lake I polling station represented here, Pickstock, Fort George, Mesopotamia, Queen’s Square, Collet, Albert, Freetown and Caribbean Shores — all these boxes are in. What happens now?”
Stewart Krohn
“The first thing that they do is have what is called a reconciliation: that is the ballots are not counted as such but basically all the ballots that are solid for one party are put in one pile; all the ballots that are solid for another party are put in another pile and all the split ballots are put in another pile.
After that is done then the actual counting starts. The thing is that immediately after the reconciliation all those people counting — that is 4 for U.D.P. on each side and 4 for P.U.P. on each side and a couple election officials at each table — everyone knows at that point pretty much which party is in the lead. It’s at that point that our reporting gets a little sticky and we will have ways to find out…”
Ernesto Vasquez
“Who is in the lead.”
Stewart Krohn
“Well we will get some advice from inside because no reporters are allowed inside the arena but information will leak out and when that information comes to us we will be reporting that information to our viewers. But bare in mind we will be reporting it as unverified information.”
Ernesto Vasquez
“That’s right this is all unofficial at this time. Would when the returning officer Mr. Matthews comes out, is he authorized to say well I think this one is leading or that one is leading or would that be unofficial.”
Stewart Krohn
“I sincerely doubt that you would find Baxter Matthews, the returning officer, giving us that kind of information. He would come out periodically to say so many ballots have been counted and things like that. The trend will come out long before that but of course only his information is the official information and that’s the important stuff. We can give you information from what our spies are telling us but that is not the official ones.”
Ernesto Vasquez
“That’s right we don’t have any reporters inside the counting station but we will be bringing the news to our viewers as soon as we get something.”
Stewart Krohn
“So Jackie there’s still a few more boxes to come in. The counting is only just now starting. We don’t know how long the counting will take but I can assure you that Ernesto and myself and the various guests we have will be here until the end.”
Thank you Stewart and Ernesto. We’ll be back live at the City Centre at 7:30.
