FIVE international election observer missions and 10 local observer groups will be on the ground today, Elections Day.The Organisation of American States (OAS), Carter Centre, Commonwealth, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Union of South American Nations are expected to field close to 100 observers. The Carter Centre is expected to field the largest mission for the upcoming polls.
The 10 local groups accredited by GECOM include: The United States of America Embassy; the British High Commission; the Canadian High Commission; the European Union (EU) country office; the Private Sector Commission (PSC; the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI); Blue Caps; the International Republic Institute (IRI); Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU); and the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB).
All observers, both local and foreign, will be required to sign onto certain protocols before they are accredited as observers. The Guyana Chronicle was able to get an exclusive look at these protocols, which outline the roles and functions of the observer groups.
Relative to foreign observers, the missions, according to the protocol, will be expected to adhere to more than 35 guidelines. In addition to the guidelines, the rights and privileges of accredited election observer groups were also outlined in the protocol.
Similar rights and guidelines apply to local observer groups, which were detailed in a separate document seen by this newspaper.
Under the Election Law (Amendment) Act No. 15 of 2000, Section 20 states that: “The Commission may approve of local organisations observing the democratic process involved in any election provided such organisations fulfil such conditions as may be stipulated by the Commission.”
Both protocols, for foreign and local observer groups, state clearly that if GECOM considers that an observer group “wilfully, without restraint, overtly and/or with malice aforethought breached the modus operandi and protocols” outlined by the Commission, GECOM has the authority to and may rescind/withdraw its accreditation from the individual errant observer or even from the entire observer mission.
GECOM has established around 2,299 Polling Stations throughout the country for today’s General and Regional Elections. (Vanessa Narine)