Serious emerging implications with illness of GECOM’s chairman

Dear Editor,
Recently published media articles reported the ill health of Mr James Patterson, Chairman of the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM). From a humanitarian standpoint, one should indeed be very sympathetic in learning that an illness has caused the Chairman to be in and out of the hospital. Given the demands of the office he holds, his age and the reported nature of the ailment; divine intervention towards a speedy recovery is wished and herein expressed.
There are, however, many serious emerging implications as a consequence of this unfortunate vicissitude. It is, therefore, with restraint that one must consider the toll this experience will likely have, even with pious interventions. It brings to the fore and highlights the serious questions about critical decisions currently needed, regarding actions to drive the strongly required improvements of the functioning of GECOM’s Secretariat.
There are many burning questions about accountability, transparency, and now, the special audit on some of GECOM’s staff operations which have been on the front burner for some time. It is imperative, critical and necessary for these issues to be resolved as Guyana heads to 2020 National and Regional Elections.
The importance of GECOM getting it right cannot be understated. The immediacy of clearly verifiable results from transparent systems is of ultimate paramountcy. Further, the fact that 2018 Local Government Elections (LGE) are over and the nation is still awaiting the release of the official report on the Elections, is indeed an absolute indictment which the organisation cannot afford. It begs questions about how long the official result of the next elections take, which can result in absolute chaos.
The situation further justifies the need to have in place a mechanism that will further strengthen and support the ‘Statements of Poll’ system. As such, this column calls for GECOM’s Chairman and Commissioners to swiftly reconsider the seemingly cast aside, recent United Nations Assessment. This review, we are advised, would have more likely informed conditions for the complementary finger print system, and also engender stronger confidence in the voting population.
It is very clear that GECOM stands vanguard over upholding Guyana’s democracy through its role exercised through the conduct of National Elections. In executing this role, the Chairman and Commissioners of the Organisation must be cognizant that less than acceptable conduct at the various levels, can influence a further rapid deterioration into social and economic anarchy. The policies of the organisation in this realm, must therefore provide equal opportunities to all stakeholders without fear, favour or ambiguousness.
In the current environment, there is quite a lot to be achieved towards this end. Advanced preparation under an effective functioning and monitoring by an objective Commission is necessary. However, the possibility of the Chairman’s prolonged or even occasional absence at this time, informs further serious challenges.
The fact that the results of the 2015 General and Regional Elections have been challenged in the courts on very serious operational and highly questionable grounds also speak volumes. It is correctly argued by many, that such matters should be treated as the matters of national security they are, and be given the most expeditious hearing once it is verified that the justifications stand on good grounds. This approach must be seriously thought out and effected by the Judiciary.
The illness of Mr Patterson will slow down many things, even as the general public is aware that at least some of the Commissioners are kept in limbo. There are still very serious questions about the staff that works during the Elections. At the very beginning, the Returning Officers (ROs) were ‘hand-picked’, although there were serious allegations and objection against these persons.

Sincerely,
Neil Kumar