The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) has said that it welcomes the suggestion by civil society body, the Electoral Reform Group (ERG), that there is great need for reforms and restructuring at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
The PNCR’s position is a significant development as it has previously not entertained the idea of major reforms to GECOM where it and the PPP/C have traditionally decided on the six commissioners and the chairperson. The ruling PPP/C is yet to show interest in any such reforms to GECOM.
In a statement, the PNCR, now headed by Aubrey Norton, said that it welcomes the proposals put forward by ERG in relation to the proposed amendments to the Representation of the People Act (ROPA). The Party said that while there are areas of disagreement, many of the proposals presented are acceptable adding that the fact that ERG sees dialogue as important to the resolution of the problems has potential for the areas of disagreement to be addressed.
“The PNCR welcomes and supports the ERG’s position that ‘There is almost unanimous agreement that GECOM is in need of fundamental restructuring and reform’ and that ‘Electoral reforms need to benefit from a national consensus if they are to have the desired effect.’ In this regard, therefore, the PNCR notes the ERG position that ‘the single most worrying omission from the current process is the absence of dedicated spaces for stakeholders to discuss and deliberate together, as a means of achieving an increased national consensus on the proposed reforms.’ In addition, the ERG reminded Guyanese that ‘Several observers to the 2020 General Elections noted weaknesses in voter registration which was a contributory factor in the conflicts around the elections’,” the PNCR said in its statement.
The composition of GECOM has been a sore point of contention since the major Opposi-tion and Government practically make up the Commission. That make up, as proven during March 2020 general elections, is a recipe for partisan positions on plans and policies of GECOM.
Several international observ-ers have called for the restructuring of GECOM so as to have a body without political influence and interference.
In 2011, the Electoral Assis-tance Bureau (EAB) recommended the depoliticization of GECOM noting that there is a fundamental conflict of interest in having the electoral machinery under the control of political parties. EAB had called for GECOM to function as an independent civic body governed by civic entities and financed directly by Parliament.
Among other things, the EAB had also recommended the establishment of a Political Affairs Committee within GECOM’s structure on which political parties would be represented in an equitable manner; establishment of a Grievance Mechanism to handle matters arising between political parties and GECOM in the pre-election, Election-Day, and immediate post-election period and to address the kinds of concerns, which are currently ventilated to the public in the absence of a clear legal mechanism for handling such matters. And the establishment of an independent elections protection bureau to strengthen enforcement of elections laws, training and preparations for elections.
The PNCR, in its statement, urged the government “to let good sense prevail and become involved in a genuine process of consultation that is not dominated by the government. Such an approach will allow us to resolve many problems that emanate from our electoral process.”
The government, through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, released its proposed amendments to RoPA in November last year and set aside a six-week review period. That period is now over and it is unclear as to what the next move would be.
The draft amendments are a result of the debacle at the March 2nd 2020 general and regional elections which lasted exactly five months between balloting and the declaration of the final results. That was due to a series of twists and turns including several court challenges, reaching the highest Appellate Court – the Caribbean Court of Justice, moves to declare unverified results and a national recount of all ballots.
As a consequence of the events of the March 2020 elections, several former GECOM officials, including its Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers, and Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, and political party officials were charged with election-related offences.
“The effort to combat electoral fraud in Guyana requires an in-depth investigation of electoral management and processes…A reform of highest priority that Guyana needs is reform of the composition of GECOM and the way in which it is constituted. GECOM as currently constituted is dysfunctional and prone to deadlock… The proposed amendments fail to address fundamental GECOM reforms needed to improve the institution’s functioning and without which there can be no serious electoral reform,” the ERG had submitted in its December 19, 2021 letter to the Ministry.
