REPORTS on meetings between the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the Carter Centre and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are expected next week.“I expect to hear from them next week,” GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally said in a telephone interview with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday.

He noted that GECOM’s engagements with the two groups were different in nature.

“The Carter Centre expressed their satisfaction with the positive developments that have been made, and felt that it would be good for them to return to Guyana. They are prepared to come back with as many as 30 people. Securing financing is the next step for them,” He said.

Dr Surujbally added that the assessment undertaken by the Carter Centre related to the conduciveness of the existing climate for the hosting of elections, the electoral environment, and their impressions after speaking with political parties.

“They were not here in 2011, and they feel that it would be good for them to come back and be a part of the electoral process; which, according to them, moved from turbulence, violence and mayhem to a peaceful process,” he said.

Dr Surujbally said a Carter Centre review of the advances in Guyana’s electoral processes could find the country being used as an example of how societies evolve.

Turning his attention to the UNDP, Dr Surujbally explained that while this group’s meeting was not related to having election observers in Guyana, it did focus on supporting GECOM.

He said the UNDP’s needs assessment focused on communication needs within the context of civic voter education and on ensuring that the election results are delivered to the Guyanese people as soon as possible.
AHEAD OF THE GAME
Questioned about the Commission’s progress on other fronts, Dr Surujbally noted that GECOM is ahead of the game, relative to its work plan.
He cited the availability of the Revised List of Electors (RLE) before the estimated time as one example of this.

The GECOM Chairman added that there is coverage of polling day staff, and the number of private residences used as polling stations has been reduced.

“We have managed to bring down the number of private residences used as polling stations to 166 of 2,295 polling stations in total,” he said.

Meanwhile, ahead of Nomination Day, April 7, Dr Surujbally noted that the Commission has also met with several stakeholders in the electoral process.

“We met with some stakeholders, and they are all impressed. They have said they are convinced of GECOM’s ability to run the elections. I was pleased with their endorsement,” he said.

Dr Surujbally also assured that, moving forward, all stakeholders in the electoral process would be kept involved. (Vanessa Narine)