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Today is Nomination Day – Parties, contingents converge on Umana Yana today
The countdown to the May 2, 2020 general elections has officially begun.
Nomination Day activities slated for today will see representatives of nineteen political parties – 14 of which are new ones – and their contingents assembling at the Umana Yana for the submission of lists to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
All roads lead to the Umana Yana today
In anticipation, representatives of at least three parties have been camping outside the Umana Yana for the last 48 hours to get a head start in the proceedings. Their aim is to ensure that they are first in line to present their list to GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield.
The New Movement (TNM), United Republican Party (URP), and A New and United Guyana (ANUG) have all reserved parking spaces and banners in front of the Duke Street, Kingston facility.
Today, the leader of each political group is expected to present a list of candidates to Lowenfield for approval.
The parties will be given 24 hours to inform the CEO of any changes to the list of candidates/nominators,
Final touches being put on the venue and its surroundings yesterday afternoon
in the event of deaths or withdrawals.On Tuesday, GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, (PRO) Yolanda Ward outlined to media operatives some of the requirements for each political group contesting the elections.
According to Ward, the parties may submit three lists; the National Top-Up list, the Geographical constituencies List and the Regional Democratic Councils List.
She noted however that each party contesting the general elections is expected to present a National Top-Up List, which should comprise the names of 300-330 nominators countrywide.
For those parties contesting the general election, she said each list must include 42 candidates /persons eligible to be elected to sit in National Assembly.
In this regard, candidates are required to submit a statutory declaration form sworn in the presence of a Commissioner of Oaths or Justice of Peace. The declaration form warrants that each candidate provides information on his /her citizenship/allegiance to Guyana or any other country.
In the meantime, Ward noted that parties contesting at the regional level must provide the list of candidates along with the names of 150-175 nominators for each of the geographical constituencies/ten administrative regions who are also required to sign statutory declaration forms.
However, she stressed that it is not mandatory that the parties contest both the regional and general elections.
“It is not necessary that a party must contest both the regional and general elections because a party may decide that they only want to be represented at a regional level. That is permissible.”
Ward stressed nonetheless that the Regional Democratic Council List must also comprise 150-175 nominators for each constituency – all residing in the said region, and 12 to 36 candidates also from within the region.
Further, she noted that parties are not mandated to contest in all 10 geographical constituencies, but they must contest in at least six of those regions.
Additionally, each party is required to have one-third female presence on their National Top-Up list and the regional lists.
Following the submission of the lists, GECOM’s CEO will examine the data to determine which party has met the eligibility requirement to contest the elections and which lists have been deemed defective.
Those not in conformity will be notified within 24 hours and will be granted until January 14 to make and submit corrections for approval.
By January 15, all parties will be notified of approval or non approval of the list. Parties desirous of having an adjoining list will also be given until January 17 to notify the CEO of their intention.
GECOM is expected to finalise all the titles and symbols of the approved lists of each party by January 19. The approved list will thereafter be published in the gazette along with the names of the candidates.
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