APPLICATIONS for a new Assistant Chief Elections Officer/Assistant Commissioner, National Registration (ACEO/ACNR) have been submitted and interviews are expected to start next week.

This is according to Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr. Steve Surujbally, who added that the new ACEO, the current Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Mr. Keith Lowenfield, and the Deputy CEO, Mr. Vishnu Persaud, will be the team to carry Guyana into the next elections.

“That threesome will be the ones that, that team will carry us into elections and I have the greatness of confidence in the two of them and let’s see who will be the ACEO,” he said.
Under the control and supervision of the Deputy Chief Election Officer, the Assistant Chief Elections Officer is responsible for the smooth functioning of all Divisions/Sections/Units/Offices within the ambit of the Operations Department.

The primary duties of the ACEO’s office include:
* Ensuring that all field activities confirm to the relevant laws, regulations, GECOM policy directives and guidelines;
* Coordinating, directing and ensuring the implementation of all operational plans;
* Reviewing operational plans relative to the effective availability and timely movement of all resources necessary to facilitate the registration of eligible persons and the conduct of all elections;
* Conducting regular monitoring/evaluation of the performance of the various Divisions/Sections/Units/Offices within the Operations Department;
* Coordinating the provision/distribution of all relevant materials, equipment, supplies, transport and other requisite resources that are pertinent to the registration and electoral processes; and
* Ensuring the precise numbering of Polling Stations and accurate allocation of electors to the respective Polling Stations, in conformity with the legal provisions and policy guidelines of the Commission; among others.
Additionally, Dr. Surujbally took the opportunity to also dismiss questions surrounding the suitability of Persaud as DCEO.
“Persaud is all accredited. He passed all his equivalency tests with higher than what was needed. Besides I can say unequivocally that he is one bright young man, who deserves to move ahead…that combination we have now, Mr. Lowenfield and Mr. Persaud, is a good one,” the GECOM Chairman exhorted.
With the Alliance for Change’s (AFC) no-confidence motion before the National Assembly, Guyana could be facing an early general election if the motion is passed in the House with a two-thirds majority.
The first page of the Motion reads: “Be it resolved that this National Assembly has no confidence in the Government.”
As stated in Section 106 (6) of the Constitution: “The Cabinet and President shall resign, if the Government is defeated by the vote of the majority of all Members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.” This is made even clearer in Section 106 (7), which states: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office, and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall, by resolution, supported by no less than two-thirds of all elected members of the National Assembly, and shall resign after a new President takes the oath of office following the election.”
Noteworthy is the fact that before the no-confidence motion is debated, the Head of State could call snap elections. However, President Donald Ramotar during a prior news conference, rather than commit himself to a definitive answer, simply stated that any decision related to the no-confidence motion, including the possibility of calling snap elections, will be made “at the appropriate time.”
The last time general elections were held in Guyana was in November 2011.

(By Vanessa Narine)