GECOM Chairman, CEO have responsibility to convince public they can conduct free and fair elections

Dear Editor,

On Sunday last, I saw an American network television interview with the Head of the Broward County Elections Commission in Florida responding to questions about the competence of the administration and the integrity of the County’s Elections Commission.

It occurred to me, watching this programme, that it is high time that the Chairman and Chief Election Officer of our Elections Commission do the same and present themselves to be interviewed by our media.

Why? Because:

1. President Granger (Yes, he is still President) messed with the Commission by illegally appointing a Chairman which resulted in a highly questionable attempt at a new national registration which, though stopped by the Chairman, is yet to be reconciled with the National Register of Registrants (NRR).

2. The Commission’s PRO persists in issuing Press Releases which subsequently have to be contradicted and then corrected by statements from the Chairman, leading to public confusion and an erosion of public confidence in our Elections Commission.

3. While the Leader of the PNCR, in his capacity as President, continues to place unqualified faith in the integrity, competence and readiness of GECOM to conduct the elections, the Leader of the PPP/C does not.

All of us, therefore, have reason to be more than ordinarily concerned about both the competence and the integrity of GECOM to conduct the forthcoming elections.

It seems to me that there is a serious need for national reassurance that our General and Regional Elections will, in fact, be free and fair.

What we do not need, going in to these elections, are any grounds for the losing Party rejecting the results and protesting in the streets.

The Chairman and CEO of GECOM have a responsibility to reach beyond the task of conducting a competent, free and fair election, they have a responsibility to convince the country that they have both the will and the ability to do exactly that.

Yours faithfully,

Kit Nascimento