GECOM divided over readiness for Local Government Elections

Jul 13, 2014 News

Despite Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr Steve Surujbally repeatedly declaring that the Commission is ready to hold Local Government Elections (LGE), the Peoples Progressive Party Civic’s (PPP/C) Commissioners, are saying otherwise.
Mohamood Shaw, Dr. Keshav Mangal, and Athmaram Mangar yesterday by way of a public joint statement, said that they view with immense concern, the calls for Local Government Elections and the declarations that GECOM is ready.
“We urge that these calls and declarations be treated with extreme caution.”
According to the Commissioners, they will continue to work with the Chairman, other Commissioners and GECOM’s Secretariat to address the issues which are of concern.
They pointed to what they call operational issues of concern, including matters involving constituency boundaries and demarcation.
According to the Commissioners, some constituency boundaries cut across established Divisions and Sub Divisions requiring field operations to effectively allocate existing registrants on the National Register of Registrants to a unique Constituency.
The Commissioners also point to resolution of transfers of numerous electors.
They have also claimed that some constituencies do not have adequate registrants to effectively field adequate lists of candidates.
“The analysis of the National Register of Registrants and subsequent printing of lists for Local Government Elections require operations that involve the Information Technology Division which is without key top level and appropriate staff.”
The Commissioners also pointed to the fact that there are some key legislative issues including lacunae in Laws that govern Local Government Elections.
“There needs to be a vigorous education programme to inform and educate the populace on the new Local Government Elections system, which comprise a mixture of the Constituency and Proportional Representation models, in which political parties as well as individuals and interested groups may contest the elections.”
According to the Commissioners the process to compile and analyse five hundred and eighty five (585) sets of nomination lists resulting in five hundred and eighty five (585) vetted two part ballot templates and subsequent printing of ballots will require significant time, effort and resources.
As a result, the Commissioner said they “believe that if these matters are not addressed, they can lead to disfranchisement…It is for these reasons that we reiterate our call for an exercise of caution regarding any declarations and assumptions of GECOM’s readiness.”
This past week both the ruling party and Government questioned the readiness of the Commission to effectively pull off any election be it Local Government or General.
These sentiments were expressed by both the General Secretary of the PPP, Clement Rohee and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, speaking at different fora.
Rohee, during the party’s weekly press engagement at Freedom House said that the party noted the many public statements calling on government to hold Local Government Elections “however the critical question is GECOM’s readiness.”
Rohee pointed to GECOM’s public pronouncement that enough ground work has been done to ascertain boundaries countrywide for the 585 constituencies which would mean the same number of lists of electors in order to hold Local Government Elections and responded by saying “the PPP is not confident this has been done thoroughly so as to ensure that every eligible voter will be correctly placed on his or her constituency list.”
As a result, Rohee said that the party is calling on GECOM to undertake physical verification within the various communities as well as invite political parties to have their representatives be a part of the process in order to allow a fair and transparent process if and when elections are called.
Meanwhile Dr. Luncheon at a subsequent press engagement at the Office of the President was asked to respond to the fact that the US Diplomats seem set to continue to call for Local Government Elections.
He responded by saying that persons should check with GECOM on their preparedness to hold either election given the stance taken by all of the stakeholders including the diplomatic community.
According to Dr. Luncheon, the elections commission has to signal its preparedness, “I don’t believe they (are) ready.”
Dr. Surujbally responded by reiterating that GECOM was ready which has seemingly prompted the PPP/C Commissioners to dispute his assurance.

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GECOM divided over readiness for Local Government Elections

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