A TWO-PAGE report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), following the end of its five-day needs assessment mission, has recommended United Nations (UN) support for Guyana’s national and regional elections until August 31.The recommendation, contained in the document seen exclusively by the Guyana Chronicle, is that the support will be managed under a UNDP programme.

“Given the shortness of the period between now and the election it is recommended that any United Nations support be focused on specific areas that can add value in time for the May 2015 elections…it is important to look beyond the May polls,” the report said.
The report’s completion comes after a small delegation of electoral experts from UNDP discussed a number of pertinent issues pertaining to the effective and efficient management of the May 11 elections in early February.
During the meeting, the team discussed the upcoming elections and the challenges the Commission may face in the successful delivery of the polling in May. Some of the points discussed included results management, electoral disputes, party financing, gender, voter information, and campaign access to media, as well as the role of international and national observer groups.
GECOM also reportedly took the opportunity to highlight the Commission’s current state of preparation for the conduct of elections, and further highlighted several areas, including the provision of consultancies, advisors, and experts – particularly in the area of Civic and Voter Education – in which there can be greater collaboration between the Commission and the UNDP.
All considered, the UNDP has recommended that the primary focus of its technical support should be to assist GECOM in areas that include voter education, particularly outreaches to voters in the interior, as well as gender-targeted materials, and to establish a media centre.
Support for the resuscitated Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) was also recommended.
“If requested, the United Nations may also consider technical support for the drafting of a political party code of conduct,” the report said.
Noteworthy too is that a draft code of conduct for political parties has been completed by GECOM, although it is yet to be circulated among the political parties.
The UNDP made it clear that, as with all United Nations support to member states, all technical assistance and advocacy should be based on United Nations principles including respect for national sovereignty, promotion and protection of human rights and strict impartiality.
“United Nations support to any local-level election processes (should they be called in 2016 or beyond) would need to be the subject of further assessment,” the report added.
The UNDP was in Guyana from February 9th to 13th this year.

(By Vanessa Narine)