General and Regional Elections, 2015… Observer missions asked to have extended presence in Guyana

A PROPOSAL has been made for election observer missions to arrive in Guyana by April 7, Nomination Day, and maintain a presence here for an extended period after E-Day, May 11.“We have made efforts to have the presence of electoral observer missions long before the actual E-Day, and for that period of observation to extend long after May 11…an extended period prior to the elections and an extended period after the elections,” said Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon.

Dr Roger Luncheon

Speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet press conference held yesterday at the Office of the President, he clarified that it is not for the Government to “decide or impose” this proposal.
“The request of the Administration is along those lines [for observer missions to have an extended presence], but it is indeed a decision of the observer missions, when they will arrive and how long before the actual date of elections they will be here and how long after the date of elections they will remain,” he said.
By April 7, however, Dr. Luncheon surmised that the campaigns of political parties would be heightened, making this date ideal for the missions to begin their observations.
“I want to believe that it’s the generality of observer missions that you don’t say goodnight as soon as night falls. I think you hang around to see how the party goes and that is why you want to be here before the party starts and you want to be here after the party is over. The experiences in the world of elections suggest that it is a wise way to go,” he said.
SEVERAL GROUPS
According to him, to date, the Organization of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the United Nations (UN) have since responded favourably.
Invitations have also been sent to Governments of South Africa and India, as well as the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the Carter Centre and the United Kingdom (UK) branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
Questioned about the connection of the Marriott Hotel to the undertaking to have electoral observer missions is Guyana, Dr. Luncheon made it clear that is completely “commercial” in nature – as is the case with existing hotels or any other such facility that may be commissioned soon.
“It could not be anything more than a commercial engagement,” he said.
Notifications were made to the international community and bodies that traditionally field observer missions to Guyana when the date for the upcoming General and Regional Elections were announced. Invitations were subsequently dispatched.
Additionally, two teams from the UN and the Carter Center have completed needs assessments as Guyana draws closer to E-Day and have engaged various stakeholders in the electoral process. Their reports are expected to be released soon.
“The needs assessment by the UN is a proxy for the presence of the electoral observer missions,” Dr. Luncheon said.
Locally, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has approached the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for accreditation as a local election observer. The Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB) is also expected to revamp its operations and act as another local observer.
ACCREDITATION
GECOM’s Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally, has stated that all observers, local and foreign, will be required to sign onto certain protocols before they are accredited as observers.
The Guyana Chronicle was able to get an exclusive look at these protocols, which outline the roles and functions of the observer groups.
Foreign observers, according to the protocol, will be expected to adhere to more than 35 guidelines. In addition to the guidelines, the rights and privileges of accredited election observer groups are also outlined in the protocol.
Similar rights and guidelines apply to local observer groups. These are detailed in a separate document to which the Guyana Chronicle was made privy.
Also, under the Election Law (Amendment) Act No. 15 of 2000, Section 20 states that: “The Commission may approve of local organisations observing the democratic process involved in any election provided such organisations fulfil such conditions as may be stipulated by the Commission.”
Both protocols, for foreign and local observer groups, stated clearly that if GECOM considers that an observer group as “wilfully, without restraint, overtly and/ or with malice aforethought breached the modus operandi and protocols” outlined by the Commission, GECOM has the authority to and may rescind/ withdraw its accreditation from the individual errant observer or even from the entire Observer Mission.