–says ‘fully prepared’ to go into election mode

THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), by means of a detailed missive issued yesterday, has made clear that it is “fully prepared and committed” to move formally into an election mode with immediacy, if and when the Commission is mandated to conduct Local Government Elections.

The Commission said, “It must be emphasised that GECOM is fully prepared to stage Local Government Elections once a date for Local Government Elections is announced.

‘We believe that if these matters are not addressed, they can lead to disfranchisement. It is for these reasons that we reiterate our call for an exercise of caution regarding any declarations and assumptions of GECOM’s readiness’– GECOM Commissioners

“Immediately following any such announcement, GECOM can begin the statutory steps required to hold the elections. These statutory prerequisites have been shared with stakeholders, including political parties, the Private Sector Commission, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the international development partners, and other interested parties.”

EXPRESSED CONCERNS
GECOM’s statement follows a caution statement issued by three of its commissioners who warned against pronouncements on GECOM’s readiness to host elections.
“We urge that these calls and declarations be treated with extreme caution,” Commissioners Mohamood Shaw, Dr. Keshav Mangal and Athmaram Mangar said in a joint statement released over the weekend.

The three commissioners said they are working with GECOM Chair Dr. Steve Surujbally and the other commissioners to address several operational issues that constitute areas of concern. Among these are constituency boundaries and demarcation issues, since:

* Some constituency boundaries cut across established divisions and sub-divisions, requiring field operations to effectively allocate existing registrants on the National Register of Registrants to a unique constituency;

* The resolution of transfers of numerous electors, particularly to constituencies indicated in the above point. Some constituencies do not have adequate registrants to effectively field adequate lists of candidates; and

* The analysis of the National Register of Registrants and subsequent printing of lists for Local Government Elections require operations that involve the Information Technology Division, which is without key top level and appropriate staff.
The other areas of concern for the commissioners relate to the fact that:

* There are also some key legislative issues, including lacunae in laws which govern Local Government Elections.

* There needs to be a vigorous education programme to inform and educate the populace on the new Local Government Elections system, which comprise a mixture of the Constituency and Proportional Representation models, in which political parties as well as individuals and interested groups may contest the elections.

* The process to compile and analyze five hundred and eighty-five (585) sets of nomination lists resulting in five hundred and eighty-five (585) vetted two-part ballot templates and subsequent printing of ballots will require significant time, effort and resources.

“We believe that if these matters are not addressed, they can lead to disfranchisement”, the three commissioners have said. “It is for these (aforesaid) reasons that we reiterate our call for an exercise of caution regarding any declarations and assumptions of GECOM’s readiness,” the commissioners said.

But GECOM insists that its job is to manage elections, and it has said that it has gone the further mile to clarify concerns, expressed not only by the three Commissioners but also in sections of the media over deficiencies associated in carrying out its mandate to hold Local Government Elections.
A total of nine responses were given to nine noted concerns expressed over the last few months.

BOUNDARIES
The first concern is that some constituency boundaries cut across established divisions and sub- divisions, and field operations are required to effectively allocate existing registrants on the National Register of Registrants to a unique constituency.

GECOM said, “The Secretariat has already addressed this issue. A presentation was done to inform the Commission on the way forward with this matter, and the Commission already gave the go-ahead.

“We suggest to those who have raised this issue to specifically identify deficiencies in our demarcation, delineation and delimitation undertakings.”
ANALYSIS

‘It must be emphasised that GECOM is fully prepared to stage Local Government Elections once a date for Local Government Elections is announced’– GECOM

The second concern is that an analysis of the National Register of Registrants and subsequent printing of lists for Local Government Elections require operations that involve the Information Technology Division, which is without key top-level and appropriate staff.

“GECOM has been working without an Information Technology (IT) Manager for quite some time now. This has not prevented the Division from carrying out its functions. In fact, only recently, the current staff of the IT Division has updated the National Register of Registrants with the transactions done during the 6th Cycle of Registration, and the relevant ID cards have already been printed.

“Indeed, the public would have recognised that advertisements inviting applications for IT personnel are abounding in the print media. International development partners have also been approached relative to acquiring the services of an Information Technology and Communication Specialist to Head GECOM’s IT Division,” GECOM said.

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
Additionally, some GECOM Commissioners stated their concern that there are some key legislative issues, including lacunae in laws that govern Local Government Elections.

GECOM said, “The legislative issues (“lacunae in the law”), which are minor and which cannot prevent the elections from being held as they are, have already been identified, and the relevant proposed amendments have already been drafted. This task can easily be completed within the six months’ timeframe for the conduct of elections. The commissioners know this.”

VOTER EDUCATION

The issue of voter education was also raised as another exercise that the Commission needs to sufficiently address before elections are held. Calls have been made for implementation of a vigorous education programme to inform and educate the populace on the new Local Government Elections system, which comprises a mixture of the Constituency and Proportional Representation models in which political parties as well as individuals and interested groups may contest the elections.
GECOM said, “This concern is especially facetious. Relative to GECOM’s Public Education Programme for Local Government Elections, it is significant to note that, in March 2010, after involving itself in huge amounts of public awareness programmes, GECOM intimated to the Minister of Local Government that the Registers of Voters were completed and certified, and that there were no material impediments for holding LGE (to which, I might add, there was not even a recognition of receipt of our correspondence). Nothing emerged from the Ministry of Local Government relative to a date for LGE. Time, great effort and money were wasted.

“As a consequence, GECOM took the deliberate decision to implement an ongoing programme with moderate intensity, publicising information about Local Government Elections with focus being placed initially on the new Local Government Elections’ electoral system. This was preferable to a “stop/start” methodology which could have the inherent possibility to exasperate and disenchant potential voters.

“Later, at the appropriate time, the Public Education Strategy will focus in an intensified manner on the processes and procedures associated with the new system – the moment a date is appointed for the Elections.”

GECOM’s ongoing Public Education Programme includes the following:-
* Two panel discussions which were conducted at the NCN Channel 11 Studio were broadcast (pro bono) by (that) Channel for the benefit of viewers in Regions 3, 4 and 5.

Recorded copies of both panel discussions were also publicised by the television stations in Regions 2, 6, 7 and 10; and “we will continue to call on all these TV houses to broadcast the content of the panel discussions”.

* 100,000 copies of a brochure titled “Local Government Elections” and featuring several aspects of pertinent information were produced. Copies of this brochure have been dispatched, with the knowledge of the Minister of Local Government, to all of the 71 local authority areas in Guyana for distribution to citizens of the respective areas.

In fact, following the finalisation of the boundaries of constituencies within the various local authority areas, we have commenced distributing these brochures at the level of the local authority areas. We have also commenced making thousands of copies to the Parliamentary (and other) political parties for distribution among their constituents.

* Four infomercials about the new system for Local Government Elections and why persons should vote at these elections were publicized on all of the local radio and television stations. We consciously discontinued this exercise, but will reactivate the publication of these infomercials very early within the projected 180-day period.

“Currently, GECOM is on the verge of engaging the four local daily newspapers to publish sequential columns titled “Local Government Elections Corner”, which will feature pertinent information about Local Government Elections. Also, the Commission is currently engaged in the process which will lead to the imminent publication, on radio and television, of more pertinent information about the new system for Local Government Elections,” the Commission said.

According to the Commission, GECOM, with all of its experience and proven track record, is committed to carrying out its duties without interference and hindrances.

“It is all a matter of timing…we know what we are about, and do not need unnecessary and unhelpful humbug,” GECOM has said.

PLACEMENT ON VOTERS LIST
There was also the contention that every eligible voter will not be correctly placed on his/her constituency list.

GECOM has said that it has already engaged itself with the preliminary and administrative placement of eligible electors in constituencies. However, the Commission pointed out that the placement of every eligible voter within their respective constituencies is a statutory task which must be undertaken during the conduct of the mandatory Claims and Objections exercise for such elections.

“Yet, on the periphery, spokespersons for a political party are insinuating that members of the Commission are somehow involved in some collusion to exclude eligible persons from any voters’ list to be used for Local Government Elections,” the Commission said.
GROUND WORK
Another contention raised was that there was not enough ground work and consultations done to ascertain boundaries countrywide.

GECOM has since made it clear that it did in fact “walk’ the ground to determine the boundaries for the 585 constituencies within all of the existing Local Authority Areas, and it has carried out the associated physical verification within the communities. All this was done with the absolute involvement of party scrutineers, the Commission said.

ELIGIBLE VOTERS
GECOM’s thoroughness relative to the assurance that every eligible voter will be correctly placed on his/her constituency list has also been a bone of contention.

The Commission stated that GECOM had already verified the residency status of electors when they had applied for registration. It said,
“This is always done in the presence of party scrutineers, who sign on the ‘Application for Registration Form’ attesting to their observation that the verification process was properly done. Consequently, there is no need for GECOM to do any further verification of the residency status of the registrant/elector.”

The Commission said that placement of electors within the respective constituencies is an internal task which would be done at the appropriate time.

GECOM said, “Prior to the Claims and Objections exercise for Local Government Elections, preliminary Voters’ Lists will be produced and posted for public scrutiny at conspicuous points within all of the 585 constituencies.
“This would be carried out so that all stakeholders, especially electors, can check for the accuracy of their respective listings as well as that of others.

“Should any incorrectness pertaining to their particulars be observed, the relevant elector can and should apply to GECOM, during the Claims and Objections exercise, for the necessary correction(s) to be made.

“On the other hand, electors could also object, again during the Claims and Objections exercise, to the inclusion of any elector whom they have reason to believe should not be on the list.”

Additionally, as is the norm, copies of the entire voters’ list will be shared with the political parties contesting the elections for scrutiny.

“The principal reason for undertaking the foregoing is for all stakeholders, including the contesting political parties, to have confidence in the Final Voters’ List produced for the elections,” GECOM said.

TRANSFERS
Commissioners also believe that the resolution of transfers of numerous electors, particularly to constituencies, must be addressed with dispatch, as some constituencies do not have adequate registrants to effectively field adequate lists of candidates.

GECOM said, “It (GECOM) cannot arbitrarily transfer registrants from one constituency to another to facilitate adequacy pertaining to the number of signatories that are required to support candidacy.

“Also, the legal provisions determine the number of signatories that are required to support candidacy, not GECOM. We have to work with the legal provisions.

“The placement of every eligible voter within his/her respective constituency is a statutory task which will be undertaken during the 180-day preparations for Local Government Elections, prior to the conduct of the mandatory Claims and Objections exercise for such elections.”

On the same issues, another concern expressed is that thousands of persons are in need of being transferred from the original addresses where they were registered to new addresses to which they have since moved.

GECOM stressed that it has already provided the opportunity for the affected registrants to apply for transfers during the sixth cycle of registration.

“Persons actually had three months to apply for transfers,” the Commission said, adding that during the sixth cycle of continuous registration, GECOM had responded to several requests from the chief scrutineer of a complaining party for mobile units to go into communities where, reportedly, there were numerous persons who were needful of applying for transfers.

“In this regard, notwithstanding the provision of information at grass roots level prior to the visits, the response was far less that we had expected, based on the information given by that party’s chief scrutineer,” the Commission said.

GECOM added that it will be conducting a Claims and Objections exercise during August this year to produce an Official List of Electors (OLE) as a sequel to the sixth Cycle of Continuous Registration. The Parliamentary political parties have been informed of this exercise via a letter dated June 9, 2014.

During this exercise, the opportunity will be provided across Guyana for all persons who have changed their addresses since they were registered to apply for transfers. This feature of the exercise would be widely publicised, as would the others.

The Commission said, “GECOM takes the opportunity to assure all concerned that it is aware that, especially due to the establishment of new housing schemes, there is the need for the transfer of persons who have taken up residence in such areas after they were registered by GECOM previously as having a residency address at some other location.

“Accordingly, heavy emphasis will be placed on this category of persons during the imminent Claims and Objections exercise through the publication of appropriate messages via every available media.”

It stated that supportive action by the political parties in encouraging its relevant constituents to make use of the opportunity to apply for transfers would contribute significantly in addressing concerns pertaining to transfers.

The Commission said, “As far as GECOM is concerned, there is no problem, nor is one envisaged, over the placement of eligible voters on the relative lists at the constituency level.

“GECOM has been fulfilling its mandate towards ensuring that no voter is disenfranchised by providing opportunities for eligible persons to apply for registration, name change, corrections and transfers throughout Guyana.”

WORK PLAN AND FUNDING
GECOM added that it has developed its work plan, which puts the timeframe for the conduct of the elections at 180 days commencing from the appointment of a date by Order given by the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development for the holding of Local Government Elections (LGE).

According to the Commission, the 180-day timeframe has nothing to do with GECOM’s “preparedness”, as this timeframe is largely a result of the sequential statutory requirements and other prerequisite activities for the conduct of the elections.

GECOM’s Work Plan for Local Government Elections, which is being reviewed constantly, contains several major statutory and administrative tasks – some of which will be implemented concurrently. For example, the acquisition of non-sensitive election materials, advertising/training/evaluation/
hiring of Election Day workers, Public Education, Claims and Objections, etc. Each of these activities can be undertaken concomitantly, and indeed are currently being addressed.

“It is important to note that these Plans (with changes as they emerge) had been developed and were in the possession of the Commission since the approval by Parliament of the new system for Local Government Elections,” the Commission said.

Additionally, GECOM was emphatic in stressed that the work plan can only be implemented providing that GECOM’s needs, viz., financial resources, are met in a timely manner.

It said, “It is worthy of note that, year after year, GECOM had consistently been presenting Local Government Election budgets, and Parliament had always approved funds for the conducting of Local Government Elections.

“The Commission has again budgeted for the conduct of Local Government Elections 2014; and again, Parliament did give its approval.
“However, funds specifically budgeted for LGE cannot become available to GECOM, for it to earnestly engage itself with specific activities associated with the conduct of Local Government Elections, until the elections are called by the Order of the Minister. Only after this procedure has been realised can Programme II funds be activated by the Ministry of Finance, in accordance with the rules delineated in the Integrated Fiscal Management and Accountability Act No 20 of 2003.”
Relative to the setting of a date for the conduct of Local Government Elections, GECOM is routinely consulted by the Minister responsible. Also, Section 35 of the Local Authorities (Elections) Act, Chapter 28:03 provides that “an election shall be held on such a day as the Minister may by order appoint.”

(By Vanessa Narine)