ERG praises potential 2020 Elections CoI

Jun 19, 2022 News

– says findings should inform RoPA, GECOM reform

Kaieteur News – The Electoral Reform Group (ERG) has commended the government for upholding its promise made some two years ago to investigate the controversial 2020 elections.

AG Anil Nandlall and the head table during the meeting with ERG members

In a public missive the organisation also called on the government to ensure that the findings of the international probe benefit efforts to reform the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) where necessary, as well as the Representation of People Act (RoPA).
The ERG said that a thorough investigation into the events of the 2020 elections is an obviously necessary step to determine the roots of the crisis and take steps to ensure smooth elections in the future. “In the absence of a publicly available Terms of Reference for the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), ERG anticipates that the CoI will inform the amendments being proposed to the Representation of the People Act and highlight the need for reform of GECOM.”
The Group said that while there is much attention on the 2020 elections controversy, which is evidently focused on breakdowns in electoral administration, it is hoped that the Government is equally serious about the promise to investigate the weaknesses of the electoral system, which includes the near absence of direct accountability of elected representatives to the electorate between elections.
“We must fix the electoral system fundamentally, not entrench a bad system. Reform of GECOM and the electoral system are obvious focus areas for the proposed constitutional reform process.” As such, the CoI must also seek to establish a framework for regular review of elections and an impartial review must be a regular, routine process that follows elections, and this process should be led by a competent GECOM.
“Sadly, this international CoI would not be the first case of international intervention to bring about electoral reform in Guyana. As an obvious requirement for success, the CoI and constitutional reform processes must seek broad-based cooperation with civil society and the political opposition. ERG assures all stakeholders of its willingness to support these vital processes ahead of the 2025 elections.”
The ERG said it is, nonetheless, encouraged by the President’s announcement that he will soon name the members of an international commission of inquiry (CoI) “to probe attempts to rig the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections.” “We are further encouraged by the announcement that government proposes a “broad-based commission to lead a constitutional reform process. These two announcements signal promising steps toward a process to heal major weaknesses in Guyana’s governance architecture,” ERG noted.
The civil society group recently met with Attorney General Anil Nandlall where it also raised its voice in support of the CoI which was announced some three days ago by President Irfaan Ali. The ERG was adamant that reform of elections law needed to be conducted on the constitutional level rather than statutorily which was proffered during the meeting.