THE release of monies to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to fund the operations of the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) is dependent on the completion of a budget, according to the Commission’s Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally.“GECOM is a budget agency and we have to get approval from Dr. Luncheon for the release of the monies for the MMU. In order for Dr. Luncheon to release those monies we have to present him with a budget. When I go to Dr. Luncheon, I have to have a budget. We are currently completing the preparation of that budget,” he said.

When asked about the amount of monies needed for the MMU, the GECOM Head declined to speculate on the final figure.
According to him, GECOM is assessing its resources and conducting needs assessment, which would inform the preparation of the budget for the MMU.
The Media Monitoring Unit was established in 2006. “GECOM has already gone a far way in resuscitating the MMU,” the GECOM Chair assured.
Questioned about staff needed, Dr. Surujbally explained that in addition to an MMU Head and Manager, the staff complement would include several monitors.
Additional funding, he disclosed, is being sourced from international development partners.
“We are approaching international development partners to secure financing for the MMU,” Dr. Surujbally said.
Until the MMU is fully operational, the GECOM Chairman noted that any concerns from political parties regarding breaches can be communicated to the Commission for consequent actions to be taken. “There will be some level of monitoring until the MMU comes on stream,” he said.
ELECTIONS COVERAGE
To bolster the operations of the MMU, Dr. Surujbally noted that a training exercise, in early February, is planned for local media operatives in the area of elections coverage.
This, he underscored, will be additional to the Code of Conduct that is usually adopted by local media houses – newspapers, television and radio – during the period of the hustings.

INT’L BEST PRACTICES
The Media Monitoring Unit’s objectives include monitoring of the media and reporting on breaches of the principles enshrined in the Media Code of Conduct and norms associated with international best practices in journalism. It also encourages equity, balance and fairness in news reporting. The MMU promotes the raising of professional standards in the media with regard to reporting on political, electoral, governance, and general social issues.
(By Vanessa Narine)