At a press conference on February 17, 2014, PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee said that the government-nominated members of the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) were doubtful about the commission’s readiness to hold local government elections.
“We get the distinct impression from our commissioners that it doesn’t seem that they are ready for local government elections,” Rohee said. His remark was in reference to the opposition using its majority in the National Assembly to pass an amendment that calls for the holding of the polls before August 1, 2014 rather than later in the year. While dubious about Gecom’s readiness, Rohee declared that the PPP was fully prepared to go to local government elections.
Mr Rohee’s statement was mildly surprising but what is astounding is the silence of Gecom. It is now two weeks since the General Secretary’s declaration yet Gecom is yet to pronounce on Mr Rohee’s version of what his party has been told by their commissioners. Gecom is no doubt acutely aware that public confidence in it and its processes demand swift and authoritative responses to any statement which makes it seem ill-prepared for a major exercise such as the local government elections. Furthermore, Mr Rohee is not an ordinary member of the public. He is the General Secretary of the ruling party and also the Minister of Home Affairs which is all the more reason why his declaration should have been addressed immediately.
Instead, Gecom has been silent. Except, that is, for a statement from PPP-appointed commissioner Mr Mahmood Shaw who told Stabroek News on Tuesday “We took a decision that whoever wants to know about Gecom’s readiness will write the commission and the Chairman would issue a statement on behalf of the commission”. Well, this is Guyana in the year in 2014 and not some hamlet on the outskirts of Pyongyang. A constitutional body administering the fundamental expression of democratic choice should not be relying on time-consuming, officious correspondence to provide straight-forward information to the public. Is this what Gecom is telling people who call into the Secretariat with questions about the elections. In the age of the blogosphere and innumerable information platforms, this requirement for correspondence is utter rubbish and should be outlawed and reversed at the next Gecom meeting.
It does appear that the present silence at Gecom has to do with a developing difference of opinion on the way ahead as contained in a hint by Mr Rohee. When he spoke on February 17th, he added that the opposition-nominated Gecom commissioners are not on the same page with their government-nominated counterparts on the body’s readiness for the polls and added that instead of such division, there needs to be “a harmony of views.”
This politically-influenced difference of views on Gecom is another telling reminder of why the present body has to be dissolved and recomposed at the earliest opportunity. The stranglehold by the government and the opposition on the membership of Gecom leaves it at the mercy of the intrigues and machinations of the politicians. Suitably qualified persons, not beholden to the political directorate, must replace the political nominees on Gecom.
Gecom has been a permanent body with permanent staff for some time now with the objective of continuous preparedness for elections. Any hint, therefore, without good reason, that is not prepared to run off local government elections which have been denied to the Guyanese people for 20 years under PPP/C governments would be cause for grave concern. Why there should even be a possibility of un-preparedness is unfathomable. Gecom has been engaged in continuous registration, will have access to finance as is needed and has control of its staff. There should be no problem. There are no extraordinary occurrences on the ground that would pose challenges, for example, a huge increase in the number of eligible persons or an entirely new system of local government.
Following criticism of its performance at the 2011 general elections, Gecom in 2003 orchestrated a development plan which had among its principal features the following: “The Commission is also working with its staff and stakeholders to make certain that adequate time is provided to address concerns and issues pertaining to its image and confidence building in the electoral process. In this respect, it seeks to cultivate a full “state of readiness” before undertaking “high risk” activities like registration and elections. Much time and effort are directed at developing awareness and staff orientation for whatever tasks are to be eventually untaken.” A full state of readiness should clearly be in place today.
It is apposite to note that in 1994, less than two years after the tumultuous 1992 general election, Mr Edward Garnett Hopkinson and his team of commissioners were able to preside over successful local government elections.
The ball is now in the court of the PPP/C government. Is it ready for local government elections and does it want them now? All it has to do is to provide the signal to Gecom and the process will get underway. It will then be left to the opposition to decide whether it is prepared to go to the polls without the Local Government (Amendment) Bill.
There should have already been six local government elections since the last one was held. The wait for the citizens of this country has been intolerable and the toll on the functioning of local government organs has been incalculable. While the city council is the best known example of the dysfunction that has flourished as a result of the stalemate, there are other municipal councils and dozens of neighbourhood democratic councils that have simply collapsed under the burden of anomie.
The public must be provided with a clear statement by Gecom about its readiness for local government elections by August and a timeline for the outstanding tasks to be completed. The electorate will then pass judgment.
