INCONSISTENCIES in procedure and questions of timing were raised by the current Administration and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), in response to the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) “Eminent Persons” initiative.The proposal, detailed in a letter, was seen exclusively by the Guyana Chronicle and proposes that five persons – Major General (rtd) Joseph Singh, Dr Eric Phillips, Dr Paloma Mohammed,Mr Chris Fernandes and Ambassador (rtd) Rudy Collins – act as “inside mediators” who will take actions that will promote a peaceful election process.“The members are open to brining in other

persons as may be needed,” the letter, signed by resident UNDP representative, Chisa Mikami, said.
The proposal was made to the Chairman of GECOM, Dr Steve Surujbally, on April 2 and the UNDP has proposed April 13 or 15 as possible dates for a meeting to discuss the proposal.
“I would like to request a meeting with you and the member of the group at which UNDP will formally introduce them to you and together explore possible points of collaboration with GECOM,” Mikami said.
QUESTION OF TIMING
When the Guyana Chronicle contacted the GECOM Chairman, he noted that the Commissioners had questions about the timing of the proposal.
“The Commission felt that at this time it was inappropriate,” Dr Surujbally stated.
Relative to the proposed dates for an introductory meeting, he explained that given the Commission’s position on the matter there is not expected to be a meeting.
“The Commission felt that it was not an appropriate time to meet,” the GECOM Chairman explained.
DEVIATION FROM PROTOCOL
Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, disclosed that central Government was informed of the proposal by GECOM.
Yesterday at his weekly post-Cabinet press conference, Dr Luncheon fielded questions on the issue and made it clear that the move by the UNDP to make such a proposal to GECOM runs contrary to routine procedures.
“What the Administration insists is the procedure ought to be UNDP approaching central government on these matters, instead of an independent foray to GECOM…it [the initiative] misdirected to GECOM in the first place and should be brought to the attention of central Government with whom UNDP should and must engage,” the Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) said.
Dr Luncheon was emphatic in pointing out that the mandate of GECOM is clear – the Commission is tasked with the management of general and regional electoral processes.

He said: “I know and the UNDP knows that the foray starts with central Government not with GECOM…we feel, and historically this is the way it has been, UNDP, or any other stakeholder, approaching central Government on initiatives of this sort will them be visited with approval or non-approval or some sort of response.
“…the Administration contends that this ain’t exactly GECOM’s cup of tea. GECOM is constitutionally charged, in terms of elections, with managing elections. This foray into mediation of possible conflict arising during or as a result of election isn’t GECOM’s business,” he stressed.
However, he acknowledged that there could be some merit in the effort. “It does seem that there is an anticipation of the need for mediation….there may very well be some contention around which an effort of mediation could be beneficial…in theory it does seem to have some merit,” the HPS said.
NO FEEDBACK
The UNDP last month completed its five-day needs assessment mission in Guyana and filed a report, which was also seen exclusively by the Guyana Chronicle.
Dr Luncheon, when asked, stated that Cabinet has not been provided a feedback on the report.
Understandably, he stated that he could not say if the report informed UNDP’s move to advance its “Eminent Persons” initiative.
“Whether the two are linked is another matter,” the HPS 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.
The UNDP was in Guyana from February 9th to 13th.

By Vanessa Narine