“Trust GECOM, walk with GECOM…we are the purveyors of truth,” GECOM’s Dr Steve Surujbally urged as he signed an agreement with Canadian High Commissioner, Dr Nicole Giles for elections management support
…says body ready for ISO certification in elections management
As the nation gears up for new General and Regional Elections in May, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr Steve Surujbally is urging stakeholders to trust the body to deliver credible elections.
He made the call just before signing an agreement with the Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Nicole Giles on Thursday for the provision of laptops to aid in the management of these elections – a move that the chairman interprets as that country’s expression of confidence in GECOM’s ability to deliver credible elections.
“We have given this country no cause to distrust us over the last two elections,” he declared, while acknowledging a minor “blip” in 2011 that was eventually fixed. Then Chief Elections Officer Goocool Boodoo had miscalculated the allocation of seats in favour of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic; that instance has since been ruled as “human error”. “Trust GECOM, walk with GECOM…we are the purveyors of truth.”
Consequently, Dr Surujbally stated that the body was proud of its accomplishment and it expected that the nation would “understand our pride”.
He did also acknowledge that there were steps still to be made to ensure that the Commission achieved high marks in elections management. The GECOM chair is fearful that distrust here could stymie the body’s potential advancement. “We have reached the stage to get ISO [International Organisation for Standardisation] certification because of the kind of work that we do,” he explained.
The ISO is an international standard setting body composed of representatives from various national standard organisations, which promotes worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial standards.
The donation of 100 laptops to GECOM will cost the Canadian Government some C$43,360. According to Dr Surujbally, it has come at an opportune time. “The people and Government of Canada have decided that we (GECOM) are worthy of such a gift.”
Strengthen GECOM’s ability
Meanwhile, Dr Giles, in brief remarks, stated that her country, while recognising the complexity of elections management, has a high level of confidence in GECOM’s ability to deliver credible elections. “The work undertaken by independent election commissions is crucial. Electoral management bodies must strive to deliver elections which are transparent and credible, free and fair, and produce timely results,” she outlined.
The Canadian diplomat is hopeful that Guyana considers and implements the recommendations that were made by the Organisation of American States Electoral Mission (OAS) and the Commonwealth Secretariat’s final report. These, she believes, could make subsequent elections more efficient and fair. They include improving mechanisms that guarantee more equitable access to media and political financing, adherence to timely and standardised procedures for the electoral process, improving communications with all stakeholders in particular GECOM; and strengthening the promotion of gender balanced participation throughout the electoral process.
Dr Giles noted that the donation, which was facilitated through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), could help with the implementation of these recommendations as well as to strengthen GECOM’s ability to efficiently deliver its mandate.
The Canadian High Commission has also been working with other stakeholders such as political parties and the Private Sector to ensure a smooth process. But importantly, Dr Giles thinks that Guyanese play a significant role in the electoral process. “Canada is hopeful that the upcoming electoral process will allow the Guyanese people to debate the important issues that are facing the country,” she expressed.
The CFLI supports and implements projects across the world in partnership with local, national and international organisations, educational institutions and local governments. It enables Canada to respond to and address the needs of its global partners, while advancing Canadian values and foreign policy priorities.