MONIES for the procurement of sensitive materials to be used by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) at the upcoming polls have been approved by Cabinet, according to Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon.The contract, worth some $66.8M, was given Cabinet’s no-objection at its meeting on Tuesday.

In an invited comment, GECOM Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally was emphatic in declaring the Commission’s readiness for the May 11 General and Regional Elections. “There is nothing to stop us now,” he told the Guyana Chronicle.
He disclosed that two GECOM Commissioners, Messrs Charles Corbin and Sase Gunraj, are currently in Canada overseeing the printing of ballot papers.
“The ballot papers should be in our possession shortly…everything is going smoothly,” Dr. Surujbally said.
The other sensitive materials to be procured include ink, ballot boxes, security seals and such like.
This is the second contract green-lighted by Cabinet for the procurement of Election Day materials. In early January, a contract worth in excess of $35.2M for the procurement of sensitive materials for GECOM was also approved.
“The non-sensitive materials are here [in GECOM’s possession]. We are waiting now on the sensitive materials,” the GECOM Chairman said.
Sensitive and non-sensitive materials are dispatched to the various districts prior to Election Day. Sensitive materials including ballot boxes are checked, labelled and properly secured in respective containers. Private security is arranged to attend to the containers. (Vanessa Narine)