Political parties in agreement for public vetting of E-Day staff

– but GECOM non-committal

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is yet to agree on a proposal for public vetting of elections day staff, although most of the political parties said they will give support to such an initiative.

The idea was first floated by the People’s progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) during a recent meeting with GECOM. However, in a statement on Tuesday the electoral body said at a meeting with the PPP/C on Monday the request was repeated for the commission to publish the names of persons to be employed by the Commission to work for the upcoming elections. “The Commission gave no indication that it would respond positively to this request,” the statement said.

However, Guyana Times International contacted some of the political parties likely to contest the elections and they all threw their support behind the initiative. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), The United Force (TUF) and the United Republican Party (URP) all responded favourably. Reached for a comment on the matter, Member of Parliament for the A Partnership for National Unity, Basil Williams told the GTI that as far as his party was concerned, they will welcome this move as long as it does not interfere with the independence of the Guyana Elections Commission.

He however noted that if such a decision is taken, then the Commission must ensure that proper measures are put in place to ensure that the information which may be brought forth by the public is thoroughly investigated and not taken as gospel.

“Measures and systems must be put in place so that when a person comes forward with certain information, it can be determined whether it is true of false. They need to provide substantial evidence to support whatever claims they are likely to make because there is a thin line between facts and slander and this can lead to libel and so on…so all claims must be thoroughly investigated”, he added.

General Secretary of the PPP/C, Clement Rohee on Monday told a news conference that the party’s leaders want the public vetting exercise to be done since the staff will be involved in a matter of national importance and one which has far reaching effects. He disclosed that the public vetting will involve the publishing of the pictures and names of the persons and members from the public who may have contentious information about the person can come forward and make those known to the relevant personnel.

2011 Presidential Candidate for The United Force (TUF), Marissa Nadir, related that her party will also welcome the exercise if it is implemented since her party is interested in knowing whether there is any GECOM staff who has public political affiliations. “We support a public vetting of elections day staff. It is a good move. Persons involved in the elections process are supposed to be neutral so a public vetting on the staff will provide any information which may contradict this. We want any public political affiliation of any staff to be made known. We have no reservations about supporting this move”, Nadir expressed.

Adding voice to the call was the leader of the United Republican Party (URP), Vishnu Bandhu, who told this publication that his party too, has no qualms or issues with the call made by the ruling party.