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Voters list will be out next Tuesday – GECOM
…2299 polling stations to be used on e-day
With General and Regional Elections less than three weeks away, the Guyana Elections Commission
GECOM’s Chairman,
Dr. Steve Surujbally
(GECOM) has announced that its Official List of Electors (OLE) has been certified and preparations are underway to have it posted countrywide by next Tuesday (April 28).
The elections body has also said that it will be utilizing 2,299 polling stations across the country. One hundred and sixty six of these are slated to be private residences.
That announcement was made during a meeting between GECOM and representatives of A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) last Friday.
By way of public statement, the Elections Commission said that the two met to discuss a number of important electoral issues.
“Foremost among the list of issues discussed was the coalition’s request of GECOM to issue a stern public statement advising persons against the defacing, destruction and or otherwise removal of Political Parties’ campaign materials,” the body said.
GECOM stated that in this regard it will be issuing a statement shortly.
It said that the coalition enquired about GECOM’s current posture as it relates to the issuance of Certificates of Employment to polling agents working on elections day.
“The GECOM Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally, mentioned that GECOM has undertaken steps to ensure that due process is maintained in order to achieve a legally binding position on the matter of issuance of Certificates of Employment,” the statement said.
GECOM said that it informed the coalition representatives of its plans for polling stations and the party representatives expressed concerns about possible lateness of notification relative to changes of Polling Stations, especially those that are private residences.
The body said that its Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield indicated that as far as is practicable, GECOM will be contacting political parties promptly and notifying them about any changes in location of any polling station, should any such changes occur.
“The CEO indicated that the Official List of Electors (OLE) has been certified, and that preparations are being made to have it posted in all of GECOM’s Registration Districts by April 28, 2015, in accordance with statutory obligations,” the statement noted.
The CEO reportedly mentioned that GECOM will be preparing folios containing the photographs and other important bio data of all electors.
“These folios are to be utilized in polling stations by the presiding officers and political party agents present, as an additional means of voter verification. At the end of Election Day activities, the Polling Agents are required to return the folios to the presiding officer.”
GECOM emphasized that it is working assiduously to ensure it delivers an election that is free, fair, credible and transparent.
The electoral body said that it took the opportunity to encourage the APNU+AFC to place every confidence in the professional work being done by the Commission and Secretariat and according to them, the APNU+AFC assured the Chairman and his team that it has confidence in GECOM’s undertakings.
APNU+AFC were represented by Dr. Rupert Roopnarine, Attorney-at-Law Joseph Harmon, David Patterson, Clayton Hall and Tabita Sarbo-Halley.
GECOM was led by its Chairman, CEO, Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Vishnu Persaud and Public Relations Officer, Richard Francois.
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