A DELEGATION from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) is here, joining other foreign observer teams monitoring the General and Regional Elections today.The UNASUR team, which arrived here four days ago, will monitor the voting process at centres at Parika, Region 3; Georgetown, Region 4; New Amsterdam, Region 6; and Linden, Region 10. The team will depart Guyana tomorrow after the elections.
These locations were selected so that the mission could examine whether its recommendations that were made during the last elections, were implemented.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, here in the city, Chief Mission Representative Domingo Paredes thanked Guyana for inviting the South American body to observe the elections.
The team, whose members are all from the UNASUR Electoral Council, comprises representatives from Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and the Office of the Secretary-General of UNASUR.
Paredes said the mission here is not to criticise the electoral process, but to aid in its development, and strengthen solidarity with Guyana in the South American union.
He is hoping that the elections will be peaceful, so that it can serve as a good model for the rest of the region.
The work of the UNASUR team, Paredes said, is imperial, and its objective is part of a wider vision to strengthen democracy across the region.
He called for the voting process today to be a peaceful and transparent exercise, whereby citizens exercise their civic duty without fear.
RESPECT POPULAR WILL
“…it is important for the media outlets to assist in this general call for citizens to exercise the most important democratic duty…respecting the popular will, which is sacred to all democracies, and respect the lawful results and exercise all legal means in case of dissatisfaction of any political organisation or party… it is important to (have) peace and trust to guard democracy,” Paredes emphasised
Aside from calling for peace, he also urged all concerned to facilitate an environment of trust and for the results of the elections to be accepted by all parties in the spirit of democracy.
The role of UNASUR’s Electoral Council, he said, is to preserve and guard democracy, and its mission in Guyana is in furtherance of this goal.
The UNASUR team is one of several foreign observer missions in Guyana monitoring today’s elections.
Meanwhile, in the run-up to the elections, the Electoral Observation Mission of the Organisation of American States (OAS/EOM) in Guyana said it has observed and heard from different stakeholders that the organisation of the electoral process is being carried out as planned by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

“The OAS/EOM takes this opportunity to remind all political parties and citizens that in the period following the closing of the polls, results must be tabulated and compiled across a large territory. The mission calls on all political actors to act responsibly and urges citizens to wait patiently for the outcome, allowing GECOM — the only official source of election results — the time to ensure a complete and accurate tabulation process,” a release said.

The mission reiterates the need for candidates and supporters to adhere to the Code of Conduct signed by all political parties to ensure order and tranquility on Election Day and the days thereafter in compliance with national electoral laws and regulations.

By Tajeram Mohabir