Gov’t approves foreign observers for 2020 elections

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has approved several international organisations to serve as Electoral Observers for the upcoming general and regional elections.

Among those approved are the Carter Center, the Organisation of American States and the Commonwealth Secretariat, according to Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon.

“There are some applications that have been made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and those applications I understand have been approved and therefore would have been sent to the elections commission,” Harmon told reporters at a post-cabinet media briefing on Thursday.

General and Regional Elections is set for March 02, 2020. The observers will be in Guyana before, during and after the elections.

At a press conference earlier this month, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh had disclosed that the Commission will also have two senior electoral advisors from The Commonwealth Secretariat along with former Chief Elections Officers from India and Ghana.

Former Elections Chief of Canada, Jean-Pierre Kingsley is already in place at the Commission to offer advice on best practices in operational matters.

The GECOM Chairman had said the Commission will approve local observers after the Government has approved international observers.

Four local groups: American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) have indicated their interest.