The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) says it remains on stream with its work plan for the timely holding of General and Regional elections constitutionally due before the end of the year. Public Relations Officer, Vishnu Persaud told Guyana Times International that the secretariat has already dispatched the finger prints of the new applicants for cross matching. He said once this is cleared they will move to prepare the revised list of electors. There is some other administrative work to be done, but all are within their specific timelines, Persaud stated. Some 7000 Guyanese were registered during the GECOM-designated additional 13 days for Claims and Objection. GECOM is now saying that it will be ready for the staging of elections by mid-November.
Meanwhile, the Alliance For Change (AFC) has written GECOM seeking clarification on the earliest possible date for the elections.
“Not only do we believe that it is in the interest of the Guyanese public to know this, we also believe that it is a right in any democratic society for citizens to be kept informed on matters of such national significance,” the letter stated. The party said it estimates that elections could now be held by November 14.
Public Relations Officer, Vishnu Persaud
“Do be reminded that a December 2011 elections date will not be warmly embraced by the business and Christian communities,” the AFC letter added.
Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon at his post cabinet media briefing expressed some amount of disappointment at comments on the decision to re-hold claims and objections despites the thousands who were able to get registered.
“For Cabinet, the result of the reopening and those associated with the maintenance of the timetable, the timeframe and the statutory declaration previously adopted is the justification and it suggests that that was the correct decision. That reasoning however, seemed not be enough for the skeptics in our midst.”
He also disclosed that the Media Monitoring Unit has received the green light for the start of operations. Guyana Times International understands that this should be operational by mid-August.
Dr Luncheon also revealed that invitations have been extended to Caricom, the Commonwealth, the United Nations, the Organisation of American States, the European Union, UNASUR and the Carter Centre to act as external observers of the 2011 elections.
