Dear Editor,
The recent announcements about the proposed General and Regional Elections Commission of Inquiry cast a shadow of doubt over the process. On the one hand, we have the announcements by the Government of the CoI prompted by the attempted rigging of the elections in 2020. On the other hand, we have the decision of the GECOM Chair that GECOM should not undertake an independent review of the elections.
The decision of the GECOM Chair is a curious one that raises questions about the Commission itself. Does the Chair have the power to overrule the other GECOM members? Or is the Chair’s action a way of letting GECOM partisan members off the hook for their positions and acceding to Government leading the process? As has been clear for so long, the way GECOM is constructed and functions needs thorough review and reform.
Unquestionably, a thorough review of the 2020 elections is warranted, and one would expect that GECOM, as presumably the independent elections authority in the country, is the proper agency to have a leading role in the process. What is the good of GECOM if it cannot be expected to do this? The stage is now set for the usual political ‘wrangling and tangling’ (my late mother’s expression) over the inquiry which could be avoided by GECOM taking charge.
It must be stressed that this CoI must not be too narrowly focused. It is not enough for the conclusions to be a vindication of the claims of one party about winning the elections or the skullduggery that took place. All that is now in the past and matters are before the courts. It is for the courts to do their job and decide those matters. This CoI must be forward-looking.
As recent studies have indicated, a large part of the Guyanese population does not have confidence in the fairness and reliability of our elections. The most important task of the CoI is to stop loopholes that make fraud possible and strengthen the credibility of our elections. If the CoI can achieve this, it will make a solid contribution to the stability and progress of this country.
As things stand, we now await the details of the terms of reference. We have had many CoIs over the years but it is hard to put a finger on any concrete outcomes from them. General elections are a serious matter and the Guyanese public has a right to expect an intense investigation that produces concrete, actionable results. We await the details of the terms of reference and hope the Government authorities will be responsive to the interests of the public in this regard.
Sincerely,
Desmond Thomas