The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has appointed 10 Returning Officers (ROs) and 10 Election Clerks (ECs) in what it said yesterday was another major step forward in preparation for the 2011 General and Regional Elections.
GECOM said in a press release that the ROs and ECs took their respective Oaths of Office last Saturday in front of Chief Election Officer Gocool Boodoo at a simple ceremony at the Command Centre of the GECOM Secretariat.
According to GECOM, the ROs who were respectively appointed to Guyana’s 10 Electoral Districts and who took the Oath of Office (one Returning Officer to one Electoral District) are:
Mohamed Arjoon – Electoral District No. 1;
Budhnarine Ramnarine – Electoral District No. 2;
Farley Sobers – Electoral District No. 3;
Jaigobind Mohabir – Electoral District No. 4;
Inderjeet Persaud – Electoral District No. 5;
Alfa Mohamed – Electoral District No. 6;
Harry Persaud – Electoral District No. 7;
Dwayne Marco – Electoral District No. 8;
Ken Grant – Electoral District No. 9; and
Ernestine Barker-LoGan – Electoral District No. 10.
The ROs are tasked with multiple responsibilities that are all aimed at contributing towards the holding of the elections in a free, fair and transparent manner, the release stated.
Their responsibilities include being responsible to the Chief Election Officer for the proper conduct of the poll within his/her polling Districts; maintaining close liaison and coordination with the Chief Election Officer and the Elections Secretariat; reporting to the Chief Election Officer through the Deputy Chief Election Officer and the Assistant Chief Election Officer; supervising the work of the Deputy Returning Officers, Election Clerks and all other election officials within his/her Polling District.
The ROs will be responsible also for administering the Oath of Office to all staff members before they perform any function under the Representation of the People Act, Cap. 1:03; and assisting the Training Instructors with the training of Polling Day officials.
In addition, the ROs are required to ascertain the total votes cast in favour of each List of Candidates in their respective Polling District.
This is done by adding up the votes recorded in favour of the respective lists in accordance with the relevant Statements of Poll. Immediately thereafter, they are required to publicly declare the votes recorded for each List of Candidates, the release stated.
It also informed that the Electoral Officers who were respectively appointed to Guyana’s 10 Electoral Districts and who took the Oath of Office (one Returning Officer to one Electoral District) are:
Mary Brown – Electoral District No. 1;
Melissa Benn – Electoral District No. 2;
Hemindra Kowlessar – Electoral District No. 3;
Dexter Patterson – Electoral District No. 4;
Simone Saul – Electoral District No. 5;
Coreen Kum-Rose – Electoral District No. 6;
Linden Adams – Electoral District No. 7;
Shaunielle Jourdan – Electoral District No. 8;
Immaculate Casimero – Electoral District No. 9; and
Carol Browne – Electoral District No. 10.
An Election Clerk would be required to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the RO should the need arise, he/she will act in place of the RO. He/she is expected to provide general assistance to the Returning Officer; function as Office Manager; supervise the arrangements for pre-poll distribution and the post-poll collection, transportation and return of election equipment and documents, etc; and perform any other duties related to the conduct of elections as assigned by the Returning Officer.
Witnessing the ROs and ECs taking their Oaths of Office were Chairman of GECOM, Dr. Steve Surujbally, Deputy Chief Election Officer, Calvin Benn, and Assistant Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield, the release added.
