Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma and Dr Steve Surujbally, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) have pledged to maintain the cordial and working relationships between the Commonwealth Secretariat and GECOM towards enhancing the efficient conduct of electoral processes in Guyana and by extension the other Commonwealth member states.
Moreover, Secretary General Sharma assured that the Commonwealth Secretariat “stood ready to be of further assistance to GECOM and will continue to support the Commission in every possible way pertaining to the preparations for and administering of elections in Guyana.”
These assurances came during a courtesy call paid on Dr Surujbally by the Commonwealth Secretary General on Thursday, a GECOM press release stated.
During discussions, Surujbally updated Sharma about the status of GECOM’s current focus pertaining to finalizing of the National Register of Registrants. An update was also given regarding preparations for the conduct of a Claims and Objections exercise as a prerequisite for the holding of Local Government Elections.
Surujbally also discussed the comprehensive preparations for the holding of the upcoming Local Government Elections and matters associated with the 2006 General and Regional Elections as well as the elections which will become due in 2011, the release said.
The GECOM chairman expressed sincere gratitude on behalf of the entire commission and its secretariat for the important role of the Commonwealth Secretariat in contributing to the success of the 2006 General and Regional Elections.
Such contributions, the release noted, included the delegation of Senior Technical Consultants including Keith Hathaway, Needs Assessor, Dr Afari-Gyan, Joint International Technical Assessor and Advisor and Tim Neale, Media Consultant.
The Commonwealth Secretary General was accompanied during the courtesy call by Head of the Office of the Secretary General, Simon Dimson, Political Advisor Juliet Solomon, and Spokesperson Yvonne Chin.
Sharma acknowledged the commitment of the Commission and its Secretariat in administering the 2006 elections in a peaceful and efficient manner, the release added.
