Stakeholders demand international observers to scrutinise LGE

By: Devina Samaroo

It is completely remiss of government to undermine the importance of having international observers scrutinise the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) process especially in light of the country’s track record with transparency and accountability coupled with the widespread perception of rigged elections, stakeholders have expressed.

Former President Donald Ramotar

Mark Benschop

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan, as quoted in another section of the media, said the upcoming elections do not require “large and elaborate” international presence and that the local observers alone are sufficient to monitor the LGE polls.
But his pronouncement certainly ruffled feathers of several stakeholders including former President Donald Ramotar, Transparency Institute of Guyana (TIGI), and a few political parties contesting the elections on March 18; all of whom have raised concerns about government’s apparent decision to not invite foreign observer missions to monitor the elections.
Ramotar, who is also a Central and Executive Member of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Opposition, emphasised that the presence of international observers is most needed particularly in light of the fact that there is a vast majority of the Guyanese populace who believe the last elections were rigged and who fear similar outcomes at LGE.
“The very fact that there is a lot of doubts about the last election, like the PPP/C is sure that the last elections were rigged, and because there is a wide perception that it was, the presence of foreign observers would be very much welcome. I think the government should invite them and let them decide whether or not they should come. Government should extend the invitation,” the former President stated.
Similarly, Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira expressed the fact that since government seems uninterested in inviting foreign observer missions, it justifies the PPP/C’s concerns of what occurred during the General and Regional Elections last year.
Additionally, TIGI President Reverend Compton Meerabux urged the government to invite the foreign observer group, insisting that it is most important to validate the transparency and accountability of the electoral process.
“They should at least invite the US Observers, the Carter Center, the Commonwealth, Caricom too, and they should invite the Canadians too,” he said.
He reminded that the anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) still rates Guyana as one of the most perceived corrupt countries in the world and therefore posited that it would be most beneficial to Guyana to have international groups observe the elections process.
He added too that there is a perception that the local observer missions are biased in their assessment and therefore, foreign observer groups would help substantiate the pronouncements.
Mark Benschop, Leader of the Team Benschop Party, also believes international observers are needed to authenticate the LGE electoral process.
“We at Team Benschop disagree with the Minister. I do not subscribe to that view. We cannot limit it to local observer missions alone. As a group contesting the local government elections, we would feel comfortable knowing that international observers would be here. It’s not that we don’t think local observer missions aren’t competent but we need a mixture. I think we need international observers in order to authenticate the elections,” Benschop stated in an invited comment.
Contacted for a comment, PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee indicated that it is a matter of concern but declined to give a statement at the moment.
“We will address it at our press conference on Monday,” he said.
On the other hand, Team Legacy, another Party contesting the elections, told this newspaper that they have confidence in the domestic groups to objectively scrutinise and evaluate the process.
However, its spokesperson Saiku Andrews explained that the Party’s position is subject to change if any new development arises to interfere with its confidence in the local observer groups.
Moreover, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally also said the Commission will be prompting government to invite foreign observers.
He explained that, to his knowledge, government did not extend the invitation to the international groups nor did they request a presence. Nonetheless, Dr Surujbally said GECOM will be prompting government to make the first step.