Dear Editor,
I REFER to the Press Statement under the caption “GECOM cannot contribute to the amendment of RoPA without probing 2020 elections – Opposition Commissioners”, published on February 3, 2022, in the Kaieteur and Stabroek Newspapers. This is an absolute falsity that exposes the Opposition Commissioners’ surreptitious intent to further delay and derail the holding of Local Government Elections (LGEs) in 2022.

Most of the Guyanese readership, interested stakeholders, and other observers are now aware of the need to exercise much caution when examining language spouted from the likes of Vincent Alexander and his cohorts as opposition mouthpieces. The deceptive mix of partial truths, silence in relevant areas and words convenience are consistent aspects of the agenda of his political focus rather than the real relevant and legally factual position.

It is easy to recognise the PNC/R prepared agenda-setting and framing, advocated by these commissioners in creating circumstances of party convenience. The focus is nothing but another designed attempt at targeting backdoor manipulation of the Commission’s balance; to strategically defy and malign the High Court’s ruling on the treatment of the Register of Registrants (RoR).

In their futile argument to discredit and disbar the current RoR and reposition a focus on house-to-house registration as a method of cleansing the voters list, they contend that “the judgment in relation to house-to-house registration should be clarified from the standpoint of its applicability to the voters’ list as distinct from the Register of Registrants.” The statement, however, is tantamount to a sleight of hand movement that can be easily discerned by even the most cursory examination.

These commissioners cannot expect the nation to buy into their frivolous rhetoric. Rather, the nation would be more aware that no current legislation in Guyana empowers the retirement of the Register of Registrants. Further, it is recalled that when the APNU+AFC took power in 2015, they swiftly went to the National Assembly even before the PPP/C took up their seats in Parliament, and pass the law to allow GECOM to use the continuous registration system to update the Register of Registrants. Following this precedent approach, a preliminary list of voters was prepared to facilitate a short period of the claims and objection process to realise a final voters list.

In 2016, it was this voters’ list that enabled GECOM to run off LGEs that year. The hypocrisy in their current tantrums is self-revealing and Guyanese are now more aware that the delays are being conjured up because the PNC and their cohorts are always afraid to face the electorate. It is factual that for almost two decades, the PNC has acted to frustrate all efforts regarding the holding of LGEs. The PPP/C and the Commission must put an end to all the PNC commissioners’ tactics to delay and frustrate the holding of LGEs. Consequently, the GECOM must also move to advance its mandate of ensuring the holding of Local Government Elections this year.

Editor, The call for “HOUSE-TO-HOUSE” registration as a mechanism for the cleansing of the voters list was never considered by the PNC/APNU+AFC while in government. They held three elections with the same Register of Registrants and implemented the very law that they hurriedly put in place in 2015, which relates to the continuous registration process. Further, it was the PNC/APNU+AFC that established an increase in permanent GECOM offices around the country to facilitate this process. Of significant note, they also supported the establishment of several fully equipped and staffed sub-offices to strengthen the genuine efforts to periodically update the Register of Registrants.

All and sundry must question the timing of this callous statement by the commissioners and its implications for various aspects of the roll-out of GECOM’s programme. It is also unbelievable to learn that GECOM does not have information to facilitate the usual appraisal of the issues that took place in preparation and the running off of the General and Regional Elections held in 2020. The connotations suggest the opposition commissioners knew all along of deals which inform the core issues of GECOM’s Secretariat operation during the 2020 Elections.

It is sad to say that Alexander and his crew, conveniently, never raised any of these matters which were time and time again, advanced by many rational commentators in the press. The PNC and opposition GECOM commissioners’ call for the internal probe of the 2020 Elections, therefore, is only a ‘Red herring’ exemplifying this crew’s persistence to delay and frustrate the efforts of GECOM’s preparation for the holding of LGEs. Our nation must recognise that the current opposition commissioners will never speak objectively on behalf of GECOM. Notwithstanding, what is urgently needed is for GECOM to win the heart of all Guyanese.

Another contemptuous issue referred to in the press release is the representation of disagreement with the proposed legislative amendments by way of significant penalties including hefty fines and jail time, to improve the enforceability of RoPA. It is clear that what happens under the circumstances, makes it more difficult for political parties and their representatives at GECOM to succeed in influencing the negative role and functionality of the Secretariat’s staff who may be categorised under the ilk of the former Chief Elections Officer and his cabal. It shows that what this crew represents as ideal, is a passive system that may be subjective to their manipulative undercurrents, albeit, the abundance of evidence of fraud in the 2020 elections.

Finally, GECOM must ensure all its finances and assets are fully audited. Guyanese must be able to see in the public domain, the list of all GECOM permanent and sub-offices to the country. Transparency and accountability will rebuild confidence in GECOM. The PPP/C Government’s massive allocation in the 2022 budget for GECOM certainly clears the way for the holding of LGEs. However, an examination of the massive spending spree that previously unfolded is also necessary. What we are certain of is that none of these should become a prerequisite for holding the LGEs this year.

The new CEO must be credited for the plans and system that he is putting in place for the holding of elections and the cleaning up of GECOM.

Yours sincerely,
Neil Kumar