…so far, the OAS and CARICOM respond positively to observer invitation
THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is pressing on with its preparations dealing with the production and distribution of Identification Cards (ID), both the backlog, as well as the 8000 plus new registrants that came from the re-opening of the Claims and Objections period. This was reported yesterday by Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) Dr Roger Luncheon at his post-Cabinet news conference at Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown.

Dr. Luncheon said GECOM’s earliest ready date for the general and regional elections is November 14 and that the President would not be expected to appoint an election date prior to that one.

The HPS said the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB) has been the first locally identified entity to be approved by GECOM as the local observer for those elections. Of the seven external entities invited by the government to observe these elections, favourable responses have so far been received by two, he reported.

According to Dr. Luncheon, the two that responded favourably so far were the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).  Government has also invited the Carter Center, the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the European Union and the Commonwealth.

The Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) was re-established with the collaboration of government, GECOM and elements in the donor community, Dr. Luncheon said.

The MMU has been resuscitated with a view to fostering self regulation of the media and adherence to the revised Media Code of Conduct.   

“Together we make this very important step towards ensuring that the 2011 elections will be conducted in an atmosphere of civility and decency and respect, dare I add, in an atmosphere of peace and harmony,” GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally said recently.

The MMU had ceased operations in July last year, following government’s documented indication to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to withdraw its support for the MMU, until some later date close to the general and regional elections.

Among the aims of the MMU is to work towards the creation and maintenance of a suitable environment under which GECOM could carry out General and Regional Elections 2011, in a manner commonly acceptable as being peaceful, free and fair; improving the current standards of media reportage of elections, political, governance and social issues; and strengthening of GECOM’s Public Relations Department in the area of information gathering and image building.

The objectives of the MMU are to monitor the local media and report on breaches of the principles enshrined in the 2010 Media Code of Conduct and norms associated with international best practices in journalism; to promote the raising of professional standards in the media with regard to the reporting of political, electoral, governance and general social issues; to encourage equity, balance and fairness in news reporting; and to influence media owners/operatives to abide by the principles enshrined in the 2010 Media Code of Conduct.

The MMU will compile a body of incontrovertible, evidence-based information of local media performance through a system of continuous daily monitoring using the 2010 Media Code of Conduct as the standard.

The Unit will prepare and disseminate periodic reports of the Unit’s findings on the local media’s performance, and submit these to interested stakeholders, in this case the local media, GECOM and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The Unit will also provide GECOM’s Public Relations Department with back-up support in the area of information gathering.