The Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) and the Guyana Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) last week held initial discussions on how Gecom can assist the IRO with its peace initiatives during the election period.
Gecom said it initiated the meeting as part of a “strategic effort to ensure that peaceful and responsible political campaigning and elections are held here. At the Tuesday meeting, the IRO indicated that signing a Peace Pact is one critical action that it hoped all parties contesting the General and Regional Elections would participate in. The group also submitted several other measures aimed at fostering peace, as well as its involvement in civic and voter education, a press statement from Gecom said.
Gecom Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally welcomed the proposals outlined by the IRO and pledged that the Commission will provide any assistance needed within a knowledge sharing framework of election processes and civic and voter education issues. He also outlined the process for organisations applying for and being granted Domestic Observer Status during the May 11 elections. The chairman “carefully underscored some of the key areas to which potential domestic observers must adhere as they get about their respective activities during Election Day.”
Gecom recognises that violence has no place in democratic elections and therefore echoes the IRO’s call for political parties and supporters alike to behave responsibly, to engage each other with mutual respect and to refrain from all words and/or actions which may have a tendency to incite, support or provoke any kind of violence – before, during or after the votes have been counted. “Citizens have a responsibility and a right to keep the peace, no matter who wins,” Gecom said.
According to the statement, Gecom was also represented by Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield, Deputy Chief Election Officer Vishnu Persaud, Legal Officer Juanita Barker, PRO Richard Francois, commissioners Sandra Jones, Mahmood Shaw, Athmaram Mangar and Charles Corbin.
