INTERNATIONAL observers attached to the Atlanta-based Carter Center in the USA, are currently observing General and Regional Elections here today.

The more than 40 observers, representing 15 countries, are spread across the country’s 10 administrative regions. They were deployed on Saturday, February 29, 2020.
The delegation is co-led by Aminata Touré, former Prime Minister of Senegal; and Jason J. Carter, Chairperson of The Carter Center’s Board of Trustees. The delegation will draw upon findings from the Carter Center’s history and ongoing presence in Guyana, including the work of its core team of electoral experts and long-term observers, who arrived back in January.

In recent days, the delegation’s leadership has been meeting with key stakeholders to hear their perspectives on the electoral process, among them candidates, political party leaders, GECOM, civil society leaders, and the security sector.
In a pre-election statement, the Center sought to encourage the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to publicise and distribute existing procedures for tabulation as widely as possible.

“The Carter Center notes that publicising and widely distributing procedures for both tabulation and recounts — with key safeguards in place for transparency, allowing party scrutineers and observers at all stages — will be integral to ensuring that the will of the voters is accurately and comprehensively reflected in the final results,” Carter said, while Touré added, “It is a great honour for us to be in Guyana at this historic moment. We are hopeful that the electoral process will be peaceful, inclusive, and credible, and that Guyanese come together after these elections so they can share their bright future as one nation.”

Additionally, the Center had described the proceedings on Nomination Day in January, which resulted in 11 political parties being approved, as “festive and peaceful”.
“The nomination process went ahead without any glitches. Although some new parties raised concerns about the order in which parties were received by GECOM, all parties were given an opportunity to correct defects in their lists and were able to do so in the time allotted,” the Center stated.

The report indicated that since Nomination Day, electoral preparations have been on track and in adherence to the established timetable, both in Georgetown and in the regions.
This includes the printing of ballot papers under the supervision of two members of GECOM; the arrival of these ballots ahead of schedule and the finalisation of appropriate polling stations.

The Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, and the European Union (EU), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), as well as the US Embassy and the British High Commission are among international observers.