GECOM assures of smooth elections
…but APNU complaining
THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is assuring citizens that all systems are in place to ensure the elections, just three days away, are conducted smoothly.
Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, GECOM Public Relations Officer, Mr. Vishnu Persaud said the ballot boxes are being stocked for mobilisation to polling stations across the country. “Security is tight. GECOM is pleased that there are adequate security measures in place at the Secretariat here,” he said, while noting that relevant mechanisms will also be added on Polling Day.
He said the Disciplined Services ballots have been packaged and are ready to be dispatched to the Returning Officers in the different Geographical Districts to be “intermixed and counted” with other votes after the Monday voting.
However, as GECOM assures its readiness, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) continues to express concern at its performance in the run-up to the elections.
The opposition grouping does not believe that GECOM is doing enough to ensure that these elections are free and fair.
APNU pointed to GECOM’s silence at what it calls a “breach of the political parties’ code of conduct” by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
“The latest has been the PPP presentation, which purports to be voter education, in which they have deliberately shown the symbol of APNU as the Palm Tree and advising voters that, if they place their vote for any other symbol that would be a spoilt vote,” APNU Member Deborah Backer charged.
She also accused the PPP/C of linking APNU with race-based campaigning.
PERTURBED
APNU is perturbed, as well, at its inability to meet GECOM on the Information Technology (IT) Panel, as it is of the view that both GECOM and the incumbent PPP/C Government are working together to frustrate the functioning of the IT Panel and prevent the auditing of the present GECOM database.
“A meeting of the IT Panel was arranged for 15:00hrs on Tuesday, November 22. Despite the agreement by the Chairman of GECOM and the PPP/C Presidential Candidate, when the representatives of APNU turned up, they were told that no meeting was arranged. Since then it is proving impossible to have Dr. Steve Surujbally respond to the various calls which have been made to him,” Backer told reporters.
But a senior official at GECOM told Guyana Chronicle that no such meeting was arranged and this newspaper understands that APNU wrote GECOM on the issue and it was discussed at a special Commission meeting on Wednesday.
The Commission said it will respond to the letter accordingly, and the Guyana Chronicle has learnt that a response has, since, been dispatched.
As it relates to the APNU’s claim of the PPP/C breaching the principles of the Code of Conduct, the GECOM source said it has not received a formal complaint from the opposition on that matter.
He explained that the commission does not have personnel monitoring political meetings and rallies and it is up to political parties to monitor and to bring any such claim to GECOM’s attention.
Explaining the procedure for investigating such breaches, the source stated that the accused party would be required to make a response.
All of the major political parties contesting this year’s elections have been pointing fingers at each other and making accusations of breaches of the recently signed Political Parties Code of Conduct.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has, on several occasions during the campaign trail, criticized overt and subtle attempts at inciting division, exciting tension and undermining the atmosphere of peace on the basis of race and religion by some political factions, as well as their supporters.
The PPP/C also made a rallying call for Guyanese to resist all such attempts so as to prevent a descent into anarchy.

PPP/C campaign spokesman Minister Robert Persaud, at a press briefing at the party’s Freedom House  headquarters on Wednesday, said certain factions in the political arena have been pandering to the race and religion bases to create disunity among the Guyanese people, calling it a worrying development.

He observed that these attempts may become the pretext for post elections disruptions.

“These parties can incite irreparable divisions, excite racial prejudices and undermine the peace and security that is necessary for the exercise of the will of the people; and more importantly can become the pretext for post elections disruptions,” Persaud said.

He added that the PPP/C welcomes the observer groups, adding that these concerns will be raised during scheduled meetings with them.
“We feel that all Guyanese will reject this, but it is our duty to bring these concerns forward,” Persaud said.

INTIMIDATION
According to him, the party has received reports of business persons being intimidated because they have expressed support for a particular political party.
Calling the attempts nauseating, Persaud said the complaints are being verified.
“We are not reckless…some incidents we have raised, others we have taken note of,” he said. When asked about evidence of such acts, he said, “We are giving the proper authorities an opportunity to do their work.”
Persaud added that in the meantime, the PPP/C will continue to voice its concerns and will not be faulted for not bringing these worrying matters to light.
He stated that coming down to elections, the focus should be on ensuring that the voting process goes smoothly, not on intimidation.
According to him, the PPP/C is a stakeholder in this process and, as such, has put measures in place that will support GECOM and law enforcement.
On that note, he lauded the move by the Private Sector Commission and other groups that have come forward to support peaceful, free and fair elections.
“All stakeholders have equal obligation…we have put our arrangements in place,” he said.

Persaud observed that the fact that the opposition factions have resorted to these tactics is a clear reflection of desperation, adding that, these groups are not addressing issues, but are descending to a worrying path.
“People behind this belong to a past age…the Guyanese people are not up to this,” he said.
He maintained that the PPP/C’s focus has always been on maintaining the momentum of national unity, which has supported Guyana’s advance.