– preparations for upcoming polls continue
Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr. Steve Surujbally, contends that the commission will do everything possible to ensure that the results of this year’s elections are released “as quickly as possible” after polls have closed. He addressed the issue at a press briefing last Wednesday when he explained that the commission has learnt from the past and is taking measures to improve the entire process.
Surujbally stressed that the commission is working in sync with international best practices and is engaging all stakeholders, part of the commission’s open door policy.
He said, “We will continue to operate by our open door policy to work with the political and other key stakeholders in a two-way communication approach towards the conduct of the general and regional elections -2011.”

TRANSPARENCY
Surujbally maintained also that the preparations process is a transparent one and pointed out that the appointed scrutineers are “walking with GECOM” throughout the preparation process.
The scrutineers from the governing and combined opposition political parties have been appointed, as required by law, to monitor all aspects of the commission’s work associated with and leading up to the preparation of the Official List of Electors.
The GECOM chairman stated that the collective responsibility of the scrutineers is to monitor the registration process at various levels, but more specifically at the first level, which is at the point of filling out the application for registration forms, the taking of fingerprints and photographs, and the verification of the residency status of the applicants.
While Surujbally maintains that the credibility of the commission should be as such that scrutineers are not needed, he acknowledged that GECOM will work with all stakeholders to ensure that the pre-, peri- and post elections period are transparent.
“We were responsive to the concerns and have been accommodative to the suggestions while being guided by the relevant laws and the principles of fairness,” he said.

FREE AND FAIR
On the note of transparency, Surujbally made it clear that the commission’s work is aimed at ensuring free and fair elections.
To this end, he called for an atmosphere that will allow voters to cast their ballots for the parties of their choice without trepidation – in an atmosphere that would support non-violence during the election period.
He said, “Let us all agree to work conscientiously and cohesively towards the conduct of the upcoming elections in a free, fair and transparent manner, and in an atmosphere that is free from fear.”
GECOM, according to Surujbally, is currently addressing several things in preparation for the elections, including finger print cross-matching; the revision of the electoral list to produce finally the Official List of Electors (OLE); hiring and training of polling day staff; the identification of some 2,000 polling stations across the country; finalising logistical plans with regard to movement of ballot boxes; the procurement of sensitive and non-sensitive elections material; the production of instruction manuals for elections day staff; and the finalizing of security arrangements.
Elections are constitutionally due every five years and the GECOM Chairman contends that the commission is targeting mid-October.