The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has received submissions of symbols from prospective contestants in the upcoming Local Government Elec-tions (LGE) but it is still unknown whether any has been tendered by the opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
“Submissions were made…We have received submissions,” GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward yesterday told Stabroek News in an invited comment.
The deadline for submissions was midnight yesterday. As such, Ward said she would prefer to give the Commission the opportunity to review the submissions before further information is provided.
Late last month, GECOM had advised “all political parties, voluntary groups and individuals who were desirous of contesting the upcoming Local Government Elections… to submit to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), a symbol for approval no later than the 21st day before Nomination Day.
GECOM has designated 12 December, 2022 as Nomination Day
And according to GECOM, “A list of candidates submitted by any political party, voluntary groups or individual candidate on Nomination Day must be accompanied by the pre-approved symbol, as this is required for the publication of the list in accordance with Section 51 of the Local Authorities (Elections) Act, without which the Political Party, Voluntary Group, or Individual candidate would be unable to contest the Local Government Elections.”
LGE were constitutionally due at the end of last year but GECOM was without a Chief Election Officer and could not have prepared to host the elections. As a result, the Chair wrote to the government informing it of the situation but did commit to confirming a timeline after the appointment of a CEO.
APNU+AFC has been saying that before Guyana hosts another election, it should implement the recommendations of the various electoral observer groups and reform GECOM and its processes. The major concern for the group is the voters’ list.
Last week, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Alliance For Change (AFC) said that after much debate it had arrived at a consensus that the party will not contest the upcoming LGE without changes to the list of electors.
The AFC which is currently in a partnership with APNU had taken part in the last local government elections on its own. On Friday, AFC Chairman, Khemraj Ramjattan confirmed that the party would be exiting its electoral coalition with APNU at the end of the year as it moves to focus on rebuilding its base.
Leader of the Opposition and Chairman of the APNU, Aubrey Norton, on the other hand had hinted at his party’s likely participation in the LGE vowing to prevent the government from attempting to “dominate and control this entire society.”
Stabroek News yesterday reached out to APNU+AFC Chief Whip, Christopher Jones to confirm whether a symbol had been submitted to GECOM but he referred this newspaper to party member, Sherwood Lowe. Without giving any confirmation, Lowe told this newspaper that the party will be issuing a press statement today on the matter.
Some $2.9 billion has been allocated to GECOM for preparatory works to ensure the successful planning and execution of LGE.
