[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is assuring all stakeholders that it is fully prepared and ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections as scheduled for May 11, 2015.
A statement from the election Body noted that notwithstanding some challenges, the Commission has been able to achieve an almost perfect state of readiness for the efficient and transparent conduct of the May 11 Polls.
“All the necessary technical, administrative and logistical systems are in place in every District, and are functioning optimally, thus enhancing GECOM’s credibility,” the statement said.
See below further information released by Gecom on its preparations:
Training
GECOM has been continuously engaging its Election Day staff in a plethora of training exercises that have seen them constantly being trained, retrained, refresher trained, and further trained, in an effort to have all Polling Day staff fully prepared and ready for the professional and transparent conduct of May 11 General and Regional Elections. The intensity and frequency of GECOM’s training exercises are designed to mitigate all likely errors on Election Day. Well trained and helpful personnel are being deployed in all of the 2,299 Polling Stations across Guyana to work on Election Day – with the full understanding that the electors are their employers.
Civic and Voter Education
In addition to ensuring that well trained personnel are function well on Election Day, GECOM had conceptualized and has now introduced a rigorous Civic and Voter Education campaign, the primary aim of which is to inform the electorate on everything they need to know about the elections process. Such is the design of the Civic and Voter Education programme that it also involves the use of a sign language expert in all of the television infomercials – especially targeting those persons living with hearing disabilities. Further, with the help of the National Commission on Disability (NCD), GECOM has been able to produce a stencil which will allow the visually impaired persons an option to vote independent of assistance by another person who may not vote as directed by the visually impaired elector.
GECOM produced 100,000 booklets and had them distributed to the voting public not lastly via stakeholders, including Political Parties. The 2014 Telephone Directory from (154-168), also provides a gamut of pertinent information a voter needs to know about the electoral process. Every communication medium is being utilized by GECOM to get its Civic and Voter Education messages across to the respective target audiences in Guyana.
Polling Stations
Polling Stations have been identified throughout the 10 Registration Districts amounting to 2,299 in number. These Polling Stations consist of a variety of public buildings as well as some private residences. The number of private residences to be used as polling stations is 166. Stakeholders (Political Parties) have received the list of Polling Stations to be used at the 2015 General and Regional Elections.
GECOM’s Media Centre
GECOM with the help of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has established a Media Centre to facilitate the efficient dissemination of official elections results to the media and nation.
Observer Missions
A number of international and domestic election observers will be involved in the May 11 General and Regional Elections. Presently 13 domestic observers have been accredited. There are currently five International Observer Missions already in Guyana. We at GECOM would like to reassure all Guyanese and indeed the international community of our commitment to do everything within the law to conduct free, fair, credible, peaceful and almost perfect elections. GECOM also calls on Guyanese, political parties, candidates and all other stakeholders to accept the results of these elections in good faith and to engage in no activity which would be inimical to the maintenance of post-electoral peace. On May11, 2015, please vote for the Political Party of your choice, return to your homes and enjoy the holiday associated with Elections Day.
