The Organisation of American States (OAS) has called for a complete review of the procedures used to tabulate, transmit, and declare both the preliminary and final results of future elections in Guyana.
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was criticised for the sloth in which it declared last year’s results. In its final report on the conduct of the November 28, 2011 polls, which it monitored, the OAS also called for additional mechanisms to be implemented to secure electoral materials at all times.
The body also urged the strengthening and promotion of gender balanced participation throughout the electoral process.
Flashback: OAS Chief of Mission Gordon Shirley updates the media while a member of his team looks on, on elections day
Given that party leaders have complete discretion in deciding which candidates from the list actually gain seats in the assembly, the OAS Electoral Observation Mission recommends further mechanisms to ensure the continued political participation of women, both within political party structures, by supporting training programmes for female candidates, and throughout the GECOM hierarchy.
The OAS electoral mission acknowledged and applauded the overall quality of the preparations for Election Day. Against this background, the issues that arose during the post-electoral process were particularly unfortunate.
The mission urged that GECOM address the challenges observed in the tabulation procedures and to work diligently to develop additional transparency mechanisms. The OAS mission also hopes that the newly-elected government and National Assembly will further the consolidation of Guyana’s democratic processes by guaranteeing an even more balanced playing field for electoral competition in future processes.
Campaign financing
Meanwhile, in terms of campaign financing, the report noted the positive steps toward creating accountability for party spending; however it also recognises the lack of regulation for campaign contributions.
It also highlighted access to media. The report states that the campaign “was characterised by a perception of limited differentiation between the state and the governing party”. Campaign financing has been an issue for quite some time now, and former Alliance For Change Member of Parliament Sheila Holder had tabled a motion in the National Assembly to have legislation to regulate campaign financing. The OAS said consideration should be given to the inclusion of a requirement for disclosure of campaign expenditures prior to the elections, to the establishment of criteria for private and foreign contributions, and to instituting public campaign financing.
The body also recommended that there be a review of options for proportional party access to paid and free advertising time without the existing requirement by state channels for a 48-hour prior submission for review.
Regarding the legal framework governing the conduct of elections, the OAS mission recommended that the various political stakeholders review the existing electoral legal framework in the following areas: given that the Guyanese electoral system requires voters to mark a ballot for the party, not a named candidate, the possibility of allowing direct representation to provide greater choice for voters and direct access to political representatives should be revisited; a review of the composition of the Electoral Commission to potentially incorporate technical criteria and to establish mechanisms that guarantee plurality.
These recommendations are designed to enhance independence and to reduce the perception of politicisation of the electoral process, and will also enhance the level of legal detail and discretion afforded the commission regarding electoral procedures.
