India, Ghana experts to assist GECOM – Chairwoman

Claudette Singh
Claudette Singh

Chairwoman of the Guyana Elections Com-mission (GECOM), Justice Claudette Singh, says GECOM is anticipating the assistance of two  experts from Ghana and India.

They are expected later this month, Justice Singh said.

The support of these two persons is being facilitated by the Common-wealth Secretariat, Justice Singh said, adding that their presence before, during and after elections will complement the assistance to be provided by former Canadian Chief Election Officer,  Jean-Pierre Kingsley, who is already on board, and will be returning to Guyana on November 18th.

She said “These persons will be on board as from sometime this month. One is a former chief election officer from India and the other, from Ghana, also a chief election officer”, Justice Singh shared.

She also said that these “…will be around and they will be here acting as advisers and overseeing what we are doing. They will be here before, during, and after the elections.”

The Chairwoman’s declaration followed claims that the Commission has been resisting proposals from foreign entities to send experts to assist in the preparation and conduct of elections on March 2nd, 2020.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, in particular has been an aggressive critic of GECOM for its alleged posture against assistance.

“Persons were saying that GECOM does not want observers. That is not true. GECOM welcomes all election observers”, Justice Singh said, while asking persons to note that “…it is not the function of GECOM to accredit foreign observers.”

“That is an executive function so that, it must be done by the President and Foreign Affairs, not GECOM”, she added.

Under the General Elections (Observers) Act, the President may after consultations with the GECOM Chair invite persons to observe the elections.

The chair elaborated, adding that “our duty is to accredit the local observers and that would be done as soon as the foreigners are accredited.”

On that note, GECOM Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward, said that four local entities – the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (GCCI), and the Public Service Commission (PSC) – have indicated an interest in being local observers.

With these people on board, persons should have no doubt, with them or without them that GECOM would not produce credible elections. Everything is being done by GECOM to produce free, fair, and credible elections, she said

Support from UNDP

There have also been allegations that GECOM Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield, has frustrated efforts by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Guyana to provide assistance ahead of elections on March 2nd, 2020. 

Seeking to explain what had transpired, however, Justice Singh shared that “UNDP had written us concerning some assistance they wanted to give GECOM some time ago during the time of (former GECOM Chairman) Justice (James) Patterson. I did see some correspondence from UNDP referring to that aspect. Now I did not know anything about that, and at a meeting, (Lowenfield) informed the UNDP Representative that that position was since filled.”

The Chairwoman further shared that subsequently, “GECOM…had a vacancy for an IT officer and I think Justice Patterson had asked for some assistance, and they were about to provide a person, but I think it was long in coming, and GECOM went ahead and recruited a very competent officer, so that vacancy was filled”.

Justice Singh said that the UNDP is still offering to provide someone to lend assistance to GECOM’s operations, and says that while the Commission welcomes the assistance, it has asked for the person’s Terms of Reference (TOR).  “When we asked for a TOR, they said they did not have a TOR…it was still an old TOR, so  (UNDP) has to amend it to see what this person can come for,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Lowenfield said he is concerned that the details of a meeting held with officers of UNDP found itself in the possession of members of the Opposition.

“I know that GECOM engaged UNDP, a delegation came here…we spoke to the issue of  assistance…I was surprised when I heard from the General Secretary [of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic] that I would have blocked, because I know the reporting mechanism for the UNDP is the…Secretary General [of the UNDP]”, Lowenfield lamented.

Vacancies to be filled

Noting that there are still some vacancies in key offices, Lowenfield said “no doubt it puts a lot of pressure on yours truly, and those who are here at the moment, and I hope that those vacancies will be filled at the earliest. The applications would have been there, we have spoken to all the applicants with a view that interviews can be conducted at the earliest possible time.