– says PPP/C open to discussions on GECOM reform

IN light of talks about the reform of the Guyana Elections Commissions (GECOM), the Leader of the Opposition, Bharat Jagdeo has suggested that the conduct of the elections could be contracted out to international bodies like the United Nations (UN).

He believes that the conduct of elections should be something on the table during his discussions with President David Granger. “Maybe we should contract this out… for instance we could get the UN because I think we can do it far cheaper than when we consider the sums of money that GECOM spends,” said Jagdeo during a press conference at his Church Street Office on Thursday.

The assistance of international bodies, he said, would allow for credible elections with just oversight from Guyanese. “Guyanese would not be involved in the architecture but the machinery… that way we could agree to a credible list… this is just a suggestion and it could be a model but we need to discuss these things,” said Jagdeo.

Over the years the conduct of free and fair elections has been a worry for Guyanese so a new model, he believes, would give them the assurance that the parties, in their fight, do not overshadow the right of the people. Contracting the UN for this purpose is just one model. Jagdeo said there are other models that could be explored but for now there is only one model in the constitution.

That formula, which is embedded in the Constitution, allows for the opposition leader, after consultation with other opposition parliamentary parties, to present the sitting President with a list of nominees from which he may choose one.

Guyana has been using a model which was established by the Carter Centre. In its report on the 2001 elections, the Carter Center noted that the Carter Formula which was critical to the success of the breakthrough transitional elections in 1992 has allowed in subsequent elections, party interests to interfere with effective electoral administration.

The Carter Center following the 2001 elections had stated: “In advance of future elections, Guyana should consider reforms that would reduce the politicised composition of GECOM and move toward an Electoral Management Body (EMB) with a structure, composition and operations that are more consistent with international good practices and obligations, thus ensuring the independence and impartiality of the EMB.”

The center had made similar observations in the 2006 and 2015 elections. Additionally, the Commonwealth Secretariat, on the same issue, had recommended that “strong consideration should be given to ending the practice of having political appointees as members of GECOM.”

The Commonwealth had said that the present formula compromises the effectiveness and integrity of the commission, which needs to be independent and above partisan politics at all levels. President Granger in endorsing calls for GECOM to be reformed went one step further and added that commissioners should be appointed by the National Assembly. At a recent press conference at the Ministry of the Presidency, the President told reporters that the Carter Formula, which is in use, has “exhausted its usefulness.”