THE People’s Progressive Party is calling on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ensure that measures are being put in place to ensure a select group of competent and suitable persons are recruited for polling day. 

General Secretary Clement Rohee made the call on Monday last at the PPP press conference. He also noted that following President Ramotar’s announcement that he will call General and Regional Elections in early 2015, “the process of GECOM recruiting persons for polling day is expected to take precedence and gain momentum.”
Rohee further stated that the PPP would like to stress on the importance of the quality of training of polling day staffers to avoid a repeat of the problems which occurred during the 2011 elections.

2011 INCIDENTS
Rohee recalled that during the 2011 elections, a GECOM-trained presiding officer who was working in a traditional PPP support area, either intentionally or due to poor selection and training, failed to stamp 19 ballots with the official stamp, in turn rendering those ballots rejected.
When asked whether or not he believes the rejected ballots were votes rewarded to the PPP, Rohee stated that “we won’t know whether or not the votes were for the PPP because the ballot boxes are locked, therefore, the votes could have been either for APNU or the AFC.”
He noted that the untrained individual took away the democratic right of 19 hardworking Guyanese who had their country at heart and certainly the PPP does not wish for a repeat of that unfortunate occurrence.
He added that there were also several instances in Georgetown where presiding officers refused to accept the PPP candidates at the Polling Place. In the wake of such incidents, he noted that “the PPP is urging GECOM to ensure these individuals and others who acted unprofessionally in 2011 are not selected again.”

GECOM’S OBLIGATION
Rohee went on to say that GECOM is obligated to the nation to make public the names and details of all selected polling day staff for public inspection.
He said that this would serve to improve the confidence of the Guyanese people in GECOM while maintaining the Commission’s integrity.
The PPP General Secretary also stated that the public must be informed about the changes to polling day procedures and practices, and all instructions and regulations which polling day staff must adhere to on elections day.
This procedure, he added, could ensure the reliability of the electoral process and prevent malpractices, so there will be a problem free election when it comes to the voting aspect.

LOCATING POLLING PLACES
Rohee also stated that “polling stations must not be placed as a political weapon,” meaning that they should not be placed close to any of the “parties’ strongholds.”
Moreover, the PPP is calling on GECOM to involve all major political stakeholders in reviewing polling places used in the 2011 elections, “with the establishment of the many new housing schemes and the movement of people into existing schemes, therefore a total review is needed,” Rohee said.
He pointed out that the PPP has made representation time and again to GECOM with regards to persons being asked to travel long distances to polling stations, especially in the hinterland and riverine communities.
Rohee also reiterated that the PPP will continue to make representation on behalf of the Guyanese people to ensure that the 2015 general and regional elections are free and fair.