The PPP Commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has noted with great concern, several advertisements for vacancies at the Guyana Elections Commission, which appeared in the newspapers of Sunday, March 3, 2019.
These vacancies relate to personnel required for the conduct of House to House Registration. The Commission has not taken a decision to commence House to House Registration and as a consequence, these advertisements are perplexing, at best.
This comes in light of the impending need for the conduct of General and Regional Elections, mandated by the successful passage of a no confidence motion in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018.
The PPP Commissioners in a release stated that “Despite our repeated requests, both within the Commission and publicly, for the Secretariat to commence preparations for the conduct of elections, no step has been taken in this regard. Instead, one excuse after the other has been proffered as for the delay on such commencement. The latest excuse of funding is, in our opinion, a contrived attempt to cause further delay”.
The PPP commissioner maintained that House to House Registration is not necessary at this time. There are several legally prescribed processes for the revision of the electoral roll to enable the conduct of elections. These processes ought to be utilized in light of the constitutionally mandated timeline for the holding of the elections aforesaid.
“We view this action of the Secretariat as a flagrant disregard of its mandate enshrined in the Constitution”.
In light of the foregoing, the commissioners call on the Secretariat of the Guyana Elections Commission to immediately withdraw the advertisements and with similar immediacy, commence the preparation for the conduct of elections in the manner and time specified by law.
