Opposition has not informed GECOM about its findings after scrutinizing SOPs, as promised
THE Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally has expressed concern over recent statements made by representatives of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), following the party’s independent verification of the Statements of Poll (SOPs) from the November 28, 2011 General and Regional Elections.
“We are concerned with this statement issued by APNU. We have asked for a report on their (APNU) analysis of the SOP’s, so when we get this we will make a more outlined response,” Dr. Surujbally explained.
The GECOM Chairman made this announcement during a telephone interview with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, when he responded to claims made by the Opposition of the Commission’s “failure” to administer and conduct the General and Regional Elections.
During a press briefing held at their Hadfield Street office, on Monday, APNU announced that it found misconduct and illegal acts in the holding of last year’s elections, and suggested the GECOM’s complicity in this “misconduct”.
In response to APNU’s claim, Dr. Surujbally emphasized the Commission’s concern and assured that GECOM will respond.
He said, “We view these statements with concern and we will respond in due course when we have had a chance to see the copy of their findings,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued yesterday, GECOM noted that, at the time that the Commission agreed to make the SOPs available to APNU for scrutiny, the Party had given the undertaking to provide GECOM with the details of its findings.
“Notwithstanding the APNU’s public pronouncements, to date GECOM has received no official documentation on this matter from the Partnership. In view of the serious nature of this matter, GECOM takes this opportunity to give the assurance to all stakeholders that all of the concerns raised by the APNU will be considered extensively at the level of the Commission and its Secretariat in a timely manner. Immediately thereafter, the Commission will make a total and comprehensive response addressing all of the stated concerns,” the release stated.

According to the release, it is expected that the Commission will be in receipt of the documented detailed findings of the APNU, since this is fundamental to the Commission’s consideration of and response to the Party’s publicised concerns.