PERSONS SHOULD NOT BE MALINGERING OUTSIDE THE POLLING STATIONS

Mar 26, 2015 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

GECOM can be the real spoiler in this year’s elections. While all eyes are being cast on the political parties and their role in any possible disturbance both during and after the elections, it is important to make the point that if the elections are competently administered, it will reduce the possibility of disturbances.
Is GECOM ready? There is some amount of unease, judging from the comments of both the PPPC and the APNU-AFC coalition, over the state of readiness by GECOM to undertake General and Regional elections.
The diplomatic community has had their briefing with GECOM. From reports they seem satisfied with the plans that GECOM has. But caution has to be taken with GECOM because it has blundered in the past and it can blunder in the future.
The international community has over the years put a great deal of resources into the running of elections in Guyana. It therefore has an interest to safeguard and it should ensure that the monies that it injects are used in a manner that would lead to a credible and efficiently administered election, and not one marred by challenges.
Yesterday, I examined one possible area that could lead to challenges. That area has to do with the fact that the voters’ list comprises some 567,000 names and this along with the increase in the number of polling stations can open the possibility to mass fraud in the elections unless there is close oversight by both independent and party polling agents.
Today, I want to deal with two other possible areas where controversy can be generated within the election machinery. The first has to do with the attitude of polling day staff and the open intimidation of voters at polling stations on Election Day.
During the last elections, there were incidents involving the polling officers at certain polling stations. At one polling station, there was hostility to one presidential candidate. This should never have happened. When someone goes to vote, the process should be smooth and hassle free. It is important therefore, that polling stations are staffed by qualified and capable personnel who should discharge their duties without fear or favour.
It is important that if there is a problem at a polling station and communication can be established with senior GECOM personnel the problem can be quickly resolved. During a previous election there were some problems at one polling station and the person involved was fired on the spot. The quality of the staff employed is therefore of upmost importance.
There has been a call for polling day staff to be properly screened. This is most important because a polling officer that is hostile to voters can lead to problems. If there are multiple polling officials, then these problems can multiply and unravel the credibility of the elections. All the parties should cooperate in the process of vetting GECOM staff and GECOM in turn, should see the value of vetting polling day staff.
In some communities more than one polling station is housed within one compound. Thus, for example at certain schools used for polling stations there may be three or four polling stations established.
It is usual in these situations for persons to assemble in numbers and to be physically present within the compound even after they would have voted. Some political party activists used these compounds as monitoring stations to mobilize their support bases.
This invariably leads to problems. At one such location during the last elections, there was a massing of APNU supporters at a school. Their boisterous presence intimidated persons who were going to vote. Persons who were suspected to be supporters of the ruling party were given a hard time by these elements who were malingering around the place.
GECOM has to be firm on this. Once someone votes that person should leave the precinct of the polling station. On the other hand, if you are not voting, you should also be discouraged from hanging around the polling station. In this way a non- hostile environment will be created. Persons will not be intimidated when they go to vote. Persons will not be also fearful of going to vote.

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PERSONS SHOULD NOT BE MALINGERING OUTSIDE THE POLLING STATIONS

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