AFC welcomes Persaud as new Chief Elections Officer, says more needed to rebuild confidence

See full statement from the Alliance for Change below

The Alliance For Change takes note that the Guyana Elections Commission has finally been able to identify a new Chief Elections Officer in the person of Mr. Vishnu Persaud. We thank the Commission for reaching a decision and appreciate that the task must have been arduous, and the process, divisive.

At the end of the day, a decision had to be made so that we can start the process of rebuilding trust and confidence in the electoral system and Guyana’s democracy.

As a prerequisite to rebuilding the credibility of the system, we must have a new Voters List – purged of all the contaminants of the past, and then, go on to hold Local Government Elections that are truly representative of the wishes of the people.

Mr. Persaud has a long and difficult road ahead and we trust that he has the “right stuff” to lead a team that can deliver free, fair and acceptable elections whenever required by law. It goes without saying that whoever had been chosen in this position would have received the approbation of half of the population and the suspicion and possible rejection of the other half. That this is so, is a sorry and painful reflection of the poor state of our democracy and pointedly proclaims that the appointment alone of a Chief Elections Officer, in and of itself, cannot and will not strengthen our weak and threatened democracy.

Much more has to be done by leaders, political parties, GECOM, civil society, citizens and our development partners, acting in concert, if we are to survive and become a united nation. The AFC commits to doing all in its power to bring about the cohesion, respect and trust that is needed at this time.

END.