Carter group to monitor 2001 polls
The Atlanta-based Carter Center will again be monitoring preparations for the upcoming general elections due to be held before January 17, 2001. It is one of the projects it will be undertaking in Guyana this year with the assistance of the US-based National Democratic Institute (NDI), according to John Heffernan, who heads the NDI operations in Guyana. The Carter Center - headed by former US President Jimmy Carter - had observed the various stages of the October 5, 1992 elections which saw the return to democratic government. The NDI has also provided assistance along with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems for polls here before. Heffernan said that discussions about the monitoring of the elections have already been held with the two major parties, the People's Progressive Party/Civic and the People's National Congress, as well as with the government. The elections project would include both an assessment of the processes and the provision of observers. The supply of material assistance to the elections, the monitoring of the processes prior to the polls and the deployment of observers on polling day are seen as critical issues in the planning for general elections which are due by January 17, 2001. Chief Election Officer, Stanley Singh has circulated an indicative timetable for the polls which require urgent decisions on a number of fronts. Major steps cannot, however, be taken until final decisions are made on the constitutional reform front about the type of electoral system. Given the problems that attended the December 15, 1997 elections and the outcry that followed, analysts say observers from a range of institutions are likely to be invited by the government to assess key parts of the elections and to provide expert assistance so that there won't be complaints once the results are issued. Asked about the NDI's assistance to the Oversight Committee on constitutional reform, Heffernan said that no formal approach had been made for a brace but that the NDI was willing to provide aid as it had done for the Constitution Reform Commission and the Special Select Committee on Constitutional Reform. He told Stabroek News too that he expected that the activities related to these projects would be up to speed over the next couple of months. One of the other projects in which Heffernan said the Carter Center would be involved is related to the improvement of the administration of justice. He said that the Carter Center would continue aspects of the Justice Improvement Programme as well as work related to court administration.
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