DESTRUCTION of campaign materials and incidents intended to intimidate the ruling party and its supporters has formed part of a dossier of documented concerns which, if requested, will be handed to the election observer missions that are fielded to Guyana.General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Mr Clement Rohee, made this disclosure yesterday at a news conference held at Freedom House.

“We have situations (wherein) our flags (have been) torn down, our billboards (have been) damaged, our posters (have been) desecrated and public meetings (have been) disrupted,” he said, even as he highlighted that the party has a “high degree of tolerance” and will not be provoked.

Rohee, instead, made it clear that in keeping with the party’s historical practices, each such incident will be documented.

“We have documented these incidents so that when the observers are fully ensconced in their responsibilities, we should be in a position to present to them dossiers reflecting our concerns… This is normal practice of the PPP, we document our concerns,” he said.

The PPP General Secretary added that this action reflects the responsible approach taken by the ruling party.

The international observers that are expected to be in Guyana include those from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, the Carter Centre, the United Nations (UN) and the Governments of South Africa and India.

Asked about what is being done in the interim, Rohee said: “From time to time, we will be assessing the situation as it evolves, with a view to determining our response. In the meantime, because we believe in operating within the confines of the law, we will keep the Commissioner of Police and other stakeholders informed.”

IMMATURE ACTIONS
One of those stakeholders is the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); and its Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally, has vehemently decried acts of intimidation during the elections period.

“Such actions are puerile, immature, counter-productive and unproductive,” he stressed.

He said that both the PPP/C and the coalition of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) have made reports of acts of intimidation during the ongoing election campaign.

“Both parties have informed GECOM of such behaviours… If actual evidence of such spineless incivility is sent to us, we can go to the police and expose the miscreants responsible,” he said.

Dr Surujbally added that the unsavory acts represent a backward step. “This is terrible, and demonstrates a backward step to puerility… Any act of intimidation is frowned on greatly,” he said.

CODE OF CONDUCT
Asked about the Code of Conduct for political parties, Dr Surujbally explained that the Code has been circulated, and political parties are expected by Wednesday to respond to GECOM with recommendations to inform the finalisation of the document.

However, he belaboured the fact that recognition of what is decent and what is not need not have to be guided by a Code of Conduct. “You know what is decent and what is not,” Dr Surujbally posited.

He also stressed that the law on activities like removing, damaging or defacing any election campaign material is clear: those acts are criminal.

In the last week, the Commission has made public advertisements that warn against such endeavours. “Such activities are specifically forbidden,” the GECOM Chairman declared.

Bolstering the legal framework, the Code of Conduct for Political Parties is a guide to expected behaviours in lead-up to the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

Once political parties sign onto the Code of Conduct, it is expected that they would abide by the protocols documented in the Code, all in the interest of free and fair General and Regional Elections.

The advantage of having such an agreement in place, according to GECOM, relates to being able to guard against confrontational and vitriolic election campaign meetings/rallies and statements.

Gecom regards contesting parties signing the Code as demonstrating their willingness to craft their respective election campaign strategies in ways that contribute to the maintenance of peace and tranquility throughout and beyond the elections.

By Vanessa Narine