Surujbally says… GECOM ‘pretty much ready’ for snap elections
CHAIRMAN of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr. Steve Surujbally on Wednesday evening declared that the Commission is ready for snap elections.
The chairman was at the time responding to questions from members of the media on whether the body was ready for local government elections.
“Any calls for snap elections, we are pretty much ready; there is no doubt about that,” Surujbally said in response to questions about the Commission’s readiness for either local government polls or general elections.
“Anyone who asks me if I am ready for Local Government Elections does not understand the process,” he said.
On the issue of the selection of Keith Lowenfield as the new Chief Elections Officer, the Dr Surujbally said he was very comfortable with the decision since it was a unanimous one.
Members of the media caught up with Dr. Surujbally while he was attending an event at the home of US Ambassador Brent Hardt.
Over the past months, there has been much debate about GECOM’s readiness to run off local government elections by the August 1 deadline recently set by the National Assembly.
Contacted last evening, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Mr Clement Rohee, said he could not comment on the matter at this juncture, as he would have to give careful consideration to several factors before he can speak on behalf of the Party.
One of those factors, he said, has to do with the Party’s supporters who will be looking to see what the statements of the Party are with respect to local, national or snap elections.
Efforts last evening to contact the representatives of both the Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) for comment on the statement made by GECOM’s chairman proved futile.
Meanwhile, in a private ceremony yesterday, Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry swore in Mr. Keith Lowenfield as the new Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission.
(By Leroy Smith)
extracted Guyanachronicle
