KEY issues associated with the upcoming General and Regional Elections were recently discussed between Dr. Steve Surujbally, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), and Mr. Mark Stevens, Advisor and Head of the Democracy Section, Political Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat. The discussions took place at GECOM’s Headquarters when Mr. Stevens paid a courtesy call on Dr. Surujbally during the former’s recent visit to Guyana. Mr. Stevens was accompanied by Mr. Tafawa Williams – Political Advisor, Caribbean/Pacific Section, Political Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

GECOM’s Public Relations Officer Mr. Vishnu Persaud, in a statement, said among the more salient issues discussed were:
** the possibility of the Commonwealth Secretariat sending a Commonwealth Observer Group to monitor the conduct of the upcoming polls, and
** the provision of technical support including the delegation of a Joint International Technical Assessor (JITA) and the identification of a suitable candidate to be appointed to the position of IT Manager at GECOM.

Dr. Surujbally updated Mr. Stevens on GECOM’s state of preparedness for the upcoming elections.

He is reported to have focused primarily on the recently concluded Continuous Registration exercise and concomitant activities (such as Fingerprint Cross-matching and the Claims and Objections exercise for the 2011 Elections) and which would lead to the production of an impeccable Official List of Electors for the 2011 Elections, and the conduct of the polls in a free fair and transparent manner.

Mr. Stevens assured Dr. Surujbally that the Commonwealth Secretariat would continue to support GECOM, as it has done in the past, as part of the Secretariat’s thrust to support the democratic processes in Guyana.