Gov’t to GECOM: Bring the evidence

– Luncheon maintains GECOM not ready to hold national or local gov’t elections

Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon has issued a challenge to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to lay the evidence on the table to supports its claims that it is ready for the hosting of Local Government and General Elections.

According to Dr Luncheon at his post-Cabinet briefing last Wednesday, the Government is yet to be convinced that the Commission is as ready for the calling of any of the elections, despite the many claims Chairman of the Commission, Dr Steve Surujbally has been making in the past months.

“Cabinet and Guyana have heard and we cannot be unmindful of the Chairman’s exhortations, but let us put our money where our mouth is and let GECOM submit a status report that it claims. The exhortations of the Chairman should now be matched by evidence. Let’s take it for granted and let’s take it a step further and bring the evidence. Let’s see what is it that gives them the confidence to face the Guyanese public and say that they are ready and you expect the Guyanese people to accept. Let us see the evidence of this readiness and that will satisfy even the most skeptical. Let them put their money where their mouth is,” Dr Luncheon said.

Speaking on behalf of the Government, the Cabinet Secretary noted too that concerns have been expressed over the Claims and Objections process, which the agency is scheduled to hold from August 4 to 31.

He said the concerns arose from the fact that the list is only valid for an approximate three months and it is Cabinet’s understanding that if the list is to be considered valid and used, then elections must be called within that timeframe.

Dr Luncheon described this development as a ploy, noting that it is intended to marginalise and generalise the role of the President in issuing the call for elections, whether it is Local Government or General Elections.

Questioned whether GECOM’s alleged preparedness and readiness is connected to the Alliance For Change’s proposed no-confidence motion, Dr Luncheon debunked the claim, saying: “they are unrelated and unless I’m otherwise advised, let us ignore that for now”.

It was just recently that Dr Surujbally dismissed allegations that the entity is not adequately prepared to host Local Government or General Elections, amid the concerns which were raised by the ruling Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

When questioned last Thursday by Guyana Times International on statements by the Government that GECOM is not ready to stage elections, the Chairman said, “and I am just as repeatedly saying we are ready”.

There has been resounding calls for Government to issue the order for the holding of Local Government Elections. These utterances have not been limited to the political Opposition parties as the Diplomatic Corps, the private sector and a plethora of other bodies have issued statements to that respect.