Chairman assures stakeholders...
GECOM committed to operational efficiency
By Chamanlall Naipaul
Guyana Chronicle
January 31, 2004
Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr. Steve Surujbally, has given the assurance that transparency is the cornerstone of GECOM because it does not believe "in any conspiracy of silence" which does more harm than good.
"The Commission, currently made up of members representing the stakeholders, is adamant about this. For this reason any undertaking, any activity, which we embark upon, is intimated to the political parties represented in Parliament and their participation is requested. Let me hasten to add that participation of political parties must not be interpreted as control by political parties. We guard zealously against any such tendency. Notwithstanding the composition of the Commission and until such time, if ever, there is a change, it is my personal fixation that the Commission should be above the political melee and must not get involved in any political fray and must fiercely protect and guard its autonomy," Dr. Surujbally emphasized.
GECOM has achieved much during last year, fulfilling many of the tasks it had set itself.
Chairman of GECOM, Dr. Steve Surujbally at a press conference yesterday disclosed that several tasks were accomplished in 2003, these included compilation of a three to five year development plan, creation of a permanent and united secretariat/job evaluation exercise, staff development, completion of rules of procedure and upgrading of Information Technology Systems Department among others.
In addition, there is an ongoing project to determine systems flaws, especially in relation to compilation and transfer of information, Dr. Surujbally said, explaining that in past elections there were unusually long delays in having results from some areas reaching the centre. This project should be completed before the end of next month.
To further improve efficiency in GECOM'S operations a consultant sponsored by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) was recruited to prepare an Operations Manual for the Information Technology Department (IT). A draft report prepared last year is now being studied by the Commission and stakeholders.
The manual is intended to address all of the perceived vulnerabilities within the IT system.
A website is also to be developed by GECOM to further share information with the public and all stakeholders.
Dr. Surujbally noted that in order to complete the modernization programme reforms must be instituted through law as recommended by GECOM, and in this regard existing laws would be consolidated, provisions arranged in logical sequence and repealed sections will be deleted, the end product would be a Reference Manual on constitutional and other legislation relevant to GECOM. A local legal luminary has been identified as a consultant to the project.
The Chairman noted too that parliamentary parties have agreed in principle to continuous registration and GECOM is now in the process of putting out its recommendations to stakeholders to legalise it.