GECOM has taken every step to ensure that General and Regional Elections 2020 are transparent and credible

Dear Editor,

The Guyana Elections Commis-sion has noted with deep concern a letter authored by one Dr. Annie Baliram and published in the Guyana Times and Kaieteur News respectively on Wednesday, 20th November 2019. Dr. Baliram in her writing sought to create an impression that GECOM cannot be trusted. Any right thinking person who read the contents of that letter would therefore conclude that Annie Baliram herself cannot be trusted.

While Dr. Baliram has the right to express her views openly, her articulation on any matter election related should be factual and not a set of sensational lines that attempt to discredit the work of the Guyana Elections Commission.

GECOM has no obligation to dance to the rhythm of a few including Annie Baliram with clandestine motives and mischievous agendas. The work of the Guyana Elections Commission is guided by the Consti-tution of Guyana and all that is procedurally required for the conduct of free, fair and credible General and Regional Elections is guided by the Laws of Guyana. GECOM does not serve the interest of any one political party as Dr. Baliram suggested in her letter.

This nation is guaranteed that free, fair and credible elections will be held on March 2, 2020.

It is clear from the letter that Dr. Baliram does not really understand how elections are conducted and the multiple levels of safeguards in place, otherwise a word such as ‘rigging’ would not even be part of her vocabulary. The credibility of GECOM to conduct free and fair elections was buttressed by the conduct of Local Government Elections 2018.

I therefore wish to provide clarity for the readers and Dr. Baliram in particular so that in her awkward admiration of GECOM going forward, letters to the editor will be from an informed perspective. This Commission does not function in chaos. GECOM cannot approve everyone who knocks without fully working through all the details. It would be reckless for GECOM to respond to the whims and fancies of every shout at this critical juncture and operationalize activities blindly.

Editor, GECOM welcomes the presence of both local and international observers, advisors and technical officers. Dr. Baliram should interest herself with the constitutional provisions for accreditation of international and domestic observers. However, there are statutory procedures to be followed and timelines to be observed.

To date, GECOM has taken every step to ensure that General and Regional Elections 2020 are transparent and credible. Justice Claudette Singh is competent enough to preside over an election and will do so without fear or favour, affection or ill will.

Yours faithfully,

Yolanda Ward

Public Relations Officer