With possible general elections on the horizon, the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) has already moved to source the services of a Joint International Technical Assessor, Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally said yesterday.
At a news conference at Cara Lodge yesterday, Surujbally refuted claims that Gecom has refused the services of the international development partners.
He also questioned when Gecom has ever refused the services of international development partners, while noting that in the past JITAs—experts in elections management—have always been identified and funded by development partners. He said that in view of the possibility of imminent general elections, Gecom has already engaged the development partners to benefit from the services of a JITA. In fact, he added, Gecom was always the agency which initiated the process of sourcing and recruiting the international technical assessor.
Surujbally added that Gecom has always been an agency which seeks to utilise the funding from development partners in the sourcing and recruiting of technical support and he pointed out that they were also helping with the recruitment of an information technology (IT) manager.
He said it was not a secret that there was an IT vacancy at the commission but added that the uproar created by political parties in the media had questionable intentions. He said that there was a suggestion being perpetuated that the various checks and balances being utilised by Gecom were somehow irrelevant due to a lack of IT personnel, which is untrue.
Surujbally said that the position was advertised multiple times locally and overseas but the commission was not satisfied with the quality of applicants and as a result no one was hired. Surujbally hinted that Gecom did not want to hire any person for the position whose political affiliations could become an issue. He noted that the position may be filled temporarily for any potential elections process and that the IT structure of the commission was not compromised.
Surujbally cited the various international partners who assisted in the structural and technical set up of Gecom’s current IT capabilities.
He said that Gecom was satisfied with the quality control mechanisms currently being used to ensure the integrity of the Preliminary List of Electors and the overall National Register of Registrants.
