Chairman of GECOM, Dr Steve Surujbally said the commission must provide its services with optimal efficiency as well as courtesy, respect and understanding.

Speaking at a workshop for GECOM’s temporary and permanent staff recently, the GECOM Chairman was quoted by a release from the commission as saying, “GECOM is a service provider.  Our clients, our customers are the citizens of Guyana. They have a right to expect and receive the services which we are legally mandated to provide with courtesy, respect and understanding.”

All temporary and permanent staff throughout GECOM must never lose sight of the need to work as part of the GECOM family to provide services of the highest standards, “as you would certainly want others to extend to you under reversed circumstances,” Dr Surujbally told the staff during opening remarks at a meeting of registration officers on November 26 at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development.  He also pointed out that “it is better to be proud to be associated with an organization with a good image which you helped to build, than to be embarrassed and stigmatized for being connected with an organization with a poor reputation.”

These remarks were made in relation  to reports of inappropriate action displayed by temporary staff at a few ID distribution centres, the release stated.

The meeting was organised to bring registration officers from all of the twenty-three GECOM Registration Offices across Guyana up to date with the preparations for the conduct of local government elections.

The meeting also revisited and emphasized the nature of their associated roles and responsibilities, especially regarding the ongoing ID card distribution exercise and the demarcation of boundaries for constituencies within the 71 Local Government Areas.

The meeting also sought to provide sufficient guidance relating to the conduct of Claims and Objections for local government elections, among other things.

Dr Surujbally told the staffers, “Your job is not to wield authority uncaringly and illogically to the dissatisfaction of the registrants.” He also urged that “the actions of GECOM staff must never be perceived as an exhibition of power.”

Meanwhile, regarding a recurring problem with the distribution of ID cards, the GECOM Chairman noted that the distribution staff had been taught that it was preferable for a registrant to present his/her triplicate form (received upon completion of the registration transaction last year) – the “pink slip” to collect his/her ID card. However, he said, this was not compulsory.  According to the release, in other remarks, Surujbally observed that every organization was as good or bad as its image and reputation portrayed it to be, and the building or weakening of an organization’s image and reputation was dependent on the levels of professionalism and commitment to excellence displayed during the delivery of its functions.