Kudos for Deputy Chief, “brickback” for acting Editor is the thrust or purpose of this week’s offering: Accordingly it is a pleasure to convey heartiest congratulants to Mr. Keith Lowenfield, Deputy Chief Elections Officer in the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). His promotion to Chief Elections Officer is well merited and is the reward for years of dedicated conscientious work associated with his duties as acting Deputy Chief Elections Officer.His elevation comes at a time when General Elections and Local Government Elections are occupying the minds of the principal stakeholders, as well as the voting population. There is immediate and arduous work awaiting Lowenfield if the efficient preparedness is to be achieved in a timely readiness to hold either National or Local Government Elections, inasmuch as the Chairman Surujbally has announced that the Commission is in a state of readiness.
His duties are to be responsible for preparing strategic plans, work programmes, budgets and authorizing relevant expenditure, as well as review departmental reports and performance audits, provide direction and advise on improvements and resolution of problems.
One of the more onerous responsibilities is managing the registration of electors, and the conduct of elections for members of the National Assembly, Regional Democratic Councils and Local Government Authorities, and all National or Local referenda; and monitor the establishment of the National Register of Registrants, from which a voters roll may be extracted, and the issuance of National Identification Cards.
No doubt Lowenfield has the capacity to undertake, successfully, these various functions and has supporting staff on which he can rely: After all they now have a leader for the first time on whom they can have complete trust and confidence, unlike previous holders of the position of Elections Chief. There is nothing to stop a harmonious mutual relationship.
The personality who is to receive the brickback can consider the time spent in the employment as an Editor completely fortitudinous, having being permitted throughout the years of employment to operate with less than satisfactory performance, failure to deliver on undertakings solemnly given and established a reputation for not training junior staff – an expected obligation of any Editor, and is guilty of failing to honour deadlines set in order to finish the paper in a timely manner, causing many difficulties to staff and vendors, and lack of trust on the reliability of the company for timely delivery of the newspaper. This person is currently off the job on sick leave, having had to endure sanctions imposed as a result of unsatisfactory performance made recently.
The choice employed in positioning sensitive news items leaves much to be desired in palpable attempts to bury selected items confirming unpleasant bias. The name of this obnoxious Editor will remain unidentified pro tem pore. The replacement of this particular personality will do wonders in creating a healthy work environment.
By David DeGroot