GECOM clarifies… Contrary to misleading articles in Kaieteur, Stabroek… GPSU not accredited with Local Observer Status

February 10, 2015, Source - Guyana Chronicle

THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday issued a statement in which it sought to “clarify a couple of misleading articles” recently published in the print media.

Kaieteur News, on February 4, 2014, carried an article headlined: ‘GPSU approved as observers for May 11 polls’, while Stabroek News, on February 7, 2015, published one headlined: ‘GPSU granted observer status for elections’.

GECOM said it “wishes to categorically state that it has so far made no such accreditation of the GPSU as an Observer of any kind for the upcoming May 11 elections.”

GECOM said it would like to further point out that it is in receipt of a letter of application for Domestic Observer Status from the GPSU, to which it responded – by way of a letter – meticulously outlining a menu of terms and conditions that the GPSU must satisfy before consideration could be given by GECOM for accreditation.

Upon the agreement by the GPSU on the terms and conditions outlined by GECOM, the Commission said it would then write to the GPSU, inviting them to meet with GECOM officials relative to a further finalisation of accreditation arrangements.

GECOM said it welcomes the interest shown by the GPSU in ensuring that this Election Management Body produces elections that are transparent, free, fair and credible.