–calls on GECOM Chairman to publicise details of the breach
THE ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has alleged that it is in possession of information to the effect that a security breach has been committed at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
Richard Francois
That party’s General Secretary, Mr. Clement Rohee, at a press briefing Monday said, “The PPP has been reliably informed that 25 cartons of the indelible electoral ink and dozens of black tanks have gone missing or unaccounted for within GECOM.”
According to him, even more alarming is GECOM’s apparent effort to keep the security breach under wraps.
“What is even more alarming is that there seem to be efforts within GECOM to keep these breaches of security from the public and the stakeholders,” Rohee charged.
He said that GECOM covering up these security breaches is troubling, since it is a move that would “further shake the confidence and trust” that stakeholders have in the entire elections commission.
Rohee said, “The People’s Progressive Party calls on the Chairman of GECOM to provide to the parties and the public (with) the full details of these breaches of security, as well as assurances that appropriate action(s) will be taken against person(s) found to be negligent.”
Rohee, moreover, called for the Guyana Police Force to become involved in investigating these breaches.
“For too long, equipment and items procured from tax payers’ monies by GECOM are stolen or declared lost and no one is held accountable. The PPP recalls that for ‘the declared lost’ laptop computers, to date, no one has been held accountable and or responsible. GECOM may wish to update the populace on these issues as well,” he said.
Rohee also told reporters that this concern has been communicated to the Commission via a letter.
GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Richard Francois, in response told the Guyana Chronicle that the matter is currently with the Guyana Police Force (GPF).