"We are ready" - GECOM Chairman
Written by Kwesi Isles
Friday, 25 November 2011 17:30
Source
Observers being briefed by GECOM Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally
Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Dr. Steve Surujbally says the body is ready for the 2011 General and Regional Elections scheduled for Monday.
"We are ready," he declared to a group of local and foreign observers at the Hotel Tower Friday afternoon.
He, however, pointed that GECOM has had to shift polling stations after the owners of a number of privately-owned premises rescinded approval for them to be used.
While alternative locations have been located, Surujbally said mobile polling stations are on standby in case others pull out at the last minute. He noted that as far as possible, government buildings like schools are used as polling stations.
The event was organised to brief the observers on the readiness of the agency and Dr.Surujbally walked them through the process leading up to Election Day, starting with the analysis of what went right and what went wrong in the 2006 elections, the house to house registration and validation of registrants.
He further noted that there have been no challenges of the Official List of Electors on which some 476,000 eligible voters are recorded.
The chairman also commented on the Code of Conduct signedby the political parties saying they have not broken their pledge in any measure that could result in violence in the days to come.
Observers are here from UNASUR, OAS, the Commonwealth Secretariat and CARICOM. Local observers include the US Embassy, the Canadian and British High Commissions, the Private Sector Commission, the Guyana Public Service Union and the Electoral Assistance Bureau.
Written by Kwesi Isles
Friday, 25 November 2011 17:30
Source
Observers being briefed by GECOM Chairman Dr. Steve SurujballyChairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Dr. Steve Surujbally says the body is ready for the 2011 General and Regional Elections scheduled for Monday.
"We are ready," he declared to a group of local and foreign observers at the Hotel Tower Friday afternoon.
He, however, pointed that GECOM has had to shift polling stations after the owners of a number of privately-owned premises rescinded approval for them to be used.
While alternative locations have been located, Surujbally said mobile polling stations are on standby in case others pull out at the last minute. He noted that as far as possible, government buildings like schools are used as polling stations.
The event was organised to brief the observers on the readiness of the agency and Dr.Surujbally walked them through the process leading up to Election Day, starting with the analysis of what went right and what went wrong in the 2006 elections, the house to house registration and validation of registrants.
He further noted that there have been no challenges of the Official List of Electors on which some 476,000 eligible voters are recorded.
The chairman also commented on the Code of Conduct signedby the political parties saying they have not broken their pledge in any measure that could result in violence in the days to come.
Observers are here from UNASUR, OAS, the Commonwealth Secretariat and CARICOM. Local observers include the US Embassy, the Canadian and British High Commissions, the Private Sector Commission, the Guyana Public Service Union and the Electoral Assistance Bureau.