PPP still to settle differences with GECOM

Nov 10, 2015 News

During a press conference yesterday morning, People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) General Secretary, Clement Rohee, said that his party is still at odds with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee

In fact, the party now has more issues with GECOM and is convinced that the Secretariat is “incompetent.” Rohee said that a PPP delegation led by him met with GECOM last Tuesday last.
He said that at that forum, the PPP informed GECOM about its reservations and concerns with regard to the holding of Local Government Elections.
Those issues include the period for Claims and Objections versus a ninth cycle of continuous registration; the non-availability of lists for each constituency for use during the Claims and Objections period and the listed number of registered voters in each Constituency and Municipality.
Rohee said that the PPP also questioned the non-availability of sketch maps showing each constituency with clear lines of demarcation; absence of voter education; preparation of NDC’s for Local Government Elections and provisions for voting by the Disciplined Services.
The General Secretary said that of the issues raised only one was addressed to the satisfaction of the PPP.
He said that GECOM Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally and Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, displayed a defensive attitude throughout the meeting and were evasive when faced with questions.
Rohee added that answers given by GECOM’s Chairman and CEO were basically information that was already in the public domain; therefore, the PPP had nothing new to take away from the meeting insofar as the holding of Local Government Elections is concerned.
Further, Rohee said that the PPP delegation expressed its dissatisfaction with GECOM’s limited public relations activities in connection with the holding of Local Government Elections. He said that the Party advised GECOM that were the elections to be held in March 2016, it would be competing with a host of other national events that are likely to be held around the same period and therefore the need for GECOM to put its messages out early to the electors.

GECOM’s Chairman,
Dr. Steve Surujbally

Rohee told the media that the PPP delegation left the meeting extremely disappointed. He added that the PPP was especially disappointed with the answers provided, particularly as they regarded the demarcation of boundaries, and “the re-employment of persons as elections officials who are known party activists belonging to the PNC/APNU/AFC.”
The General Secretary said that the PPP delegation informed GECOM that it was leaving the meeting dissatisfied with the attitude of non-cooperation and non-disclosure towards the delegation.
Rohee also said that the delegation told GECOM that it will “end up being its own worst enemy since it refuses to address comprehensively and objectively, the reservations and concerns of a major national stakeholder with 32 seats in the National Assembly and one that controls seven of the 10 Administrative Regions.”
Rohee said that the predisposition of Dr. Surujbally and Lowenfield to “clam up and to skillfully dodge questions posed to them by the PPP delegation will only prove counter-productive and help exacerbate the already existing tension between the PPP and GECOM as well as the deep suspicions by the PPP about GECOM’s incompetence, bias and inability to supervise the holding of free and fair elections in Guyana.”
The General Secretary told the media that the PPP rejects GECOM’s claim that the meeting “completely addressed” the Party’s concerns and reservations in connection with the upcoming Local Government Elections.
He added that the PPP will continue to press its demands for electoral reforms and for free and fair elections by