GPSU accredited as Elections Observer-Dr Surujbally

GPSU accredited as Elections Observer–Dr Surujbally

Oct 22, 2011 News

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is a local observer in the 2011 Regional and General Election in Guyana.
This is the official position given the recent complaints about the Union’s objectivity as an observer.
GECOM’s Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally said on Thursday that while the GPSU has been accredited as a local observer the commission has written to union President Patrick Yarde, requesting an explanation on the issue.
A Kaieteur News report had stated that the GPSU had pledged its support for APNU David Granger. Kaieteur News has since explained that this was an error.

Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission Dr Steve Surujbally

Dr Surujbally said that Yarde has since responded to the commission and has informed that he is actively seeking to locate a recording of the incident.
“The matter is under investigation,” said Dr Surujbally.
He did warn that his instinctive feeling was that it would not be an easy task for the commission to just rescind the status of an observer having been recently appointed and Gazetted.
“However if it is clear that a great misdemeanor has taken place I again will have no qualms in disaccrediting (the union) or any other person who breaks our rules,” said Dr Surujbally.
The complaints against GPSU were lodged by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) one of the contesting parties in the elections and the Inter Religious Organisation.
The latter in lodging its complaint had informed GECOM that enshrined in the Terms of Reference for Local Observers is the fact that they are to “Refrain from any action which indicates, or is capable of being seen as indicating partisan support for any candidate, political party, political actor or tendency”
The terms of reference also according to the IRO prevents observers from expressing views on subjects which are likely to be issues at the election and in particular refrain from communicating with voters on matters of partisan significance.
Observers are also to refrain from taking part in functions or activities which could lead to perceptions of sympathy for a particular candidate, political party, political actor or tendency, for example, visits to military installations, or visits to official ceremonies sponsored by political parties.
The IRO contends that following a meeting held by its hierarchy the members contended that “undoubtedly, the GPSU has demonstrated a clear partiality in favour of a major contestant in the Elections i.e. the APNU, and in so doing has (i) knowingly breached the above principles, and (ii) given indisputable grounds for the Union’s accreditation as a Domestic Observer for the upcoming elections to be rescinded.”
They declared to Dr Surujbally that in light of what they presented to him in their arguments they have established that the GPSU cannot imbue confidence across the nation that it will carry out its responsibilities as a Local Observer with impartiality.
“This could have deleterious impacts on the actual conduct of the Elections on Polling Day and the outcomes thereof….Considering the implications which could derive from such a situation, we call upon the Guyana Elections Commission to rescind the accreditation of the GPSU as a Domestic Observer.”
The IRO stated that it is convinced that “this is a necessary precondition to the conduct of the upcoming elections in a free, fair and peaceful manner especially in the immediate post election period.”
The PPP had said that “Ms. Murphy’s proclamations and enthusiasm for Mr. Granger’s candidature reflected the attitude of the general membership of the GPSU to the extent that the Prime Minister (Samuel Hinds) was heckled openly during his address.”
Robert Persaud, a PPP executive member in a letter to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) stated, “We believe that the point has been made that the GPSU is unsuitable to function as an independent observer at the General and Regional Elections.” and urged GECOM to review its earlier decision to accredit the GPSU.
The Union has been openly critical of the current government over the years, with the deepest grouse being the fact that salary increases for public servants have been imposed over the past five years.

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