GECOM staff must provide services of highest standards – GECOM Chairman

ALL temporary and permanent staff throughout the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) must never lose sight of the need to work as part of the GECOM family to provide services of the highest standards, “as you would certainly want others to extend to you under reversed circumstances”. This was the charge given by Dr Steve Surujbally, Chairman of GECOM during opening remarks at Meeting of Registration Officers which was held last Thursday at the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD).

Accentuating that “it is better to be proud to be associated with an organisation with a good image which you helped to build, than to be embarrassed and stigmatised for being connected with an organisation with a poor reputation”, Dr Surujbally pointed out that GECOM is a constitutional service oriented organisation. “GECOM is a service provider. Our clients, our customers are the citizens of Guyana. They have a right to expect and receive the services which we are legally mandated to provide with courtesy, respect and understanding”, he emphasised.

The foregoing remarks of the GECOM Chairman were made relative to reports of inappropriate action displayed by temporary staff at a few ID Distribution Centres. Noting that “your job is not to wield authority uncaringly and illogically to the dissatisfaction of the registrants”, he urged that “the actions of GECOM staff must never be perceived as an exhibition of power”.

Referring to a recurring problem associated with the distribution of ID cards, Dr Surujbally pointed out that the distribution staff were taught that it is preferable for a registrant to present his/her Triplicate Form (received upon completion of the registration transaction last year) – the “pink slip” to collect his/her ID card. He stressed, however, that the presentation of the “pink slip” is not compulsory.

Dr Surujbally said that every organisation is as good or bad as its image and reputation portray it to be, and that the building or weakening of an organisation’s image and reputation is dependent specifically on the levels of professionalism and commitment to excellence displayed during the delivery of its functions. Further, he noted that in the case of organisations which are service providers, the need for optimal efficiency in the delivery of the service cannot be overemphasised nor departed from, and that failure to observe this fundamental requirement would naturally create dissatisfaction among the organisation’s key stakeholders.

The Meeting was organised to bring Registration Officers (ROs), from all of the twenty three GECOM Registration Offices across Guyana, up to date with the preparations for the conduct of Local Government Elections, and to revisit and emphasise the nature of their associated roles and responsibilities especially pertaining to the ongoing ID card distribution exercise and the demarcation of boundaries for constituencies within the 71 Local Government Areas.

The key objectives of this meeting were as follows:-
* To provide further guidance, and obtain feedback, relative to the ID card distribution exercise.

* To deliberate on and bring administrative closure to all issues connected with the demarcation of boundaries for the constituencies within the respective Local Government Areas. This includes reviewing the recommended boundaries for constituencies in all of the LGAs.

* To provide ROs with sufficient guidance relative to the conduct of Claims and Objections for Local Government Elections.

* To engage the ROs with the Civic and Voter Education strategies for the distribution of ID cards and the conduct of Local Government Elections.

* To provide guidance on staffing and security matters pertaining to the conduct of Claims and Objections for Local Government Elections.

Resource persons at the workshop were Mr. Gocool Boodoo – Chief Election Officer, Mr. Calvin Benn – Deputy Chief Election Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield – Assistant Chief Election Officer, and Mr. Deolall Ramlall – Civic & Voter Education Manager, Ms. Mona Bynoe – Administrative Manager, Mr. Colin April – Logistics Manager, Mr. Derrick Thompson – Security Officer.

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