The Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) has once again come in for criticism from the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which says the body has failed to release critical information for the upcoming local government elections.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the PPP expressed concern about the failure of Gecom to make available the Supplementary Voters’ Lists although weeks have passed since the end of the claims and objections processes.
The party also called out the election management body on a failure to publicise the number and locations of polling stations in each Local Authority Area. It said this information should have been made available since December 1, 2015.
Additional complaints were made about Gecom’s purported failure to publish “the necessary order with respect (to) nomination day.” The party contended that “though the date of January 26, 2016 is well known there is conflicting information with respect to the places and times for submission of nominations by political parties.”
Further, the party once again raised concerns about the processes attached to the voting of the disciplined services. “The party is disappointed that the names of Ballot Officers who will fulfill certain functions on the day of voting by the Disciplined Services are not yet publicly known. The party’s disappointment is further compounded by the fact that no list showing the names of the Disciplined Services List has been made public so far,” the release said.
Contacted for comment, Deputy Chief Election Officer Vishnu Persaud expressed frustration at the continued complaints. Persaud stressed that Gecom is working assiduously to make all information available at the earliest possible opportunity.
He maintained that the body is legally bound to make “supplementary lists” available during the claims and objections period and it has done so in every local government area for the recently concluded exercises. He also shared that the commission is presently in possession of draft final voters’ lists, which are being certified and finalised.
“Once finalised, it will be made available,’ Persaud said.
In response to the concerns raised about polling stations and disciplined services ballot officers, Persaud said this information is presently with the commissioners and the Gecom Secretariat is awaiting their approval before making it public.
He expressed disgust about the Nomination Day concerns, while noting that Nominations List are to be submitted to the Returning Officers in each local government area. He reminded that information as to the location and operating hours of these officers has been routinely published in the media. A list was published as recently as Sunday, January 17 in all local newspapers.
Asked if he believes that the party’s concerns may have some validity since with Nomination Day approaching the final voters’ lists and the location of polling stations are yet to be publicised, Persaud said the commission is not legally bound to make this information available on any particular day relative to Nomination Day. “We are not legally required to make it available on the eight or seventh or sixth day before Nomination Day,” he said.
