Carter Center urges parties to await o
-will remain until after final declaration
International observer group, the Carter Center, has called on everyone including political parties to refrain from declaring elections results while the country waits for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to official announce them.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the group’s co-chair Dr. Aminata Touré stressed that GECOM is by law the only body that can declare results. She along with her CoChair Jason Carter noted that their observation team will remain in the country until after the official declaration and expressed the hope that the process remains transparent throughout.
“We appeal to political parties to refrain from declaring any results if they want to do justice to democracy in Guyana,” she stressed.
According to Touré adhering to the law is an important exercise of responsibility as a leader. Carter also stressed that while political parties have had access to every stage of the process and therefore might be aware of results there is a procedure for announcing which must be followed.
Touré in responding to questions on the issue said that she was more interested in having results that all stakeholders agree with even if it takes a bit of time.
“There is always give and take between having quick results and making sure that people accept the results. So it is always sort of a bargain,” she explained stressing that for a system to work it requires trust.
She urged Guyanese to be willing to compromise moving forward.
“To the extent that transparency is maintained, to the extent that all political parties have access to the process, to the extent that the rules are being followed…no one is concerned about the time it is taking,” Carter added.
In its preliminary report on Monday’s elections the group commended GECOM’s efforts.
“GECOM utilized its strong base of electoral expertise to conduct well-managed voting-day operations. The voting and counting processes were generally well prepared and logistically sound,” they noted.
With 41 observers the group was able to conduct 220 observations in polling stations across all 10 regions, in addition to observing the advance voting for disciplined forces that took place on February 21.
These observers reported that voting and counting processes were largely well-organized and peaceful, and assessed the implementation of voting procedures as positive, with only occasional inadequacies.
GECOM’s polling staff seemed well-trained on polling procedures and exhibited professionalism throughout the day but according to the observers polling staff were less confident in the application of counting procedures.
Additionally observers encountered political party scrutineers in all of the stations they observed, which provided an important level of transparency. The performance of most of these scrutineers was assessed as positive.
The centre has however raised concerns about the presence of campaigning and campaign materials within 200 yards of polling stations which violates GECOM’s administrative procedures. This particular activity was observered mostly in Region 4.
Also noted was the presence of information desks operated by the two major political parties in regions Four, Seven, Nine and 10.
The Carter Center, has reported that some complaints in Georgetown were received about the presence of these tents within 200 yards of polling stations.
The location of polling stations was during the preparation for elections an issue of contention after the main opposition complained that its supporters were negatively impacted by GECOM’s decision to reduce the number of private residences used as polling places.
GECOM Chair retired Justice Claudette Singh told media that the decision in part was taken to implement the recommendation from the Centre’s 2015 observation gro polling occurs in a neutral location was finally resolved two days Elections.
Yesterday the Center announ stood by its recommendation should be held in neutral location nized that in some cases polling be held in privately owned buildin
They however stressed that dec polling locations should be ma advance of Elections Day.