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Publish Date : 08-Mar-2016

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will be initiating probe into the procurement of US$500,000 worth of ballot papers and other sensitive material for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE). However the Chairman of that elections management authority, Dr. Steve Surujbally is of the opinion that it is too early to speak about a forensic audit.

Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP)-nominated GECOM Commissioner, Bibi Shadick, said the seven-member Commission has agreed to conduct a probe after the March 18, 2016 Local Government Elections.

We have taken a decision, all six commissioners without exceptionThe six commissioners have agreed that this particular procurement of ballot papers and materials for this year and the whole process of when it started to when it arrived, she added.

Dr. Surujbally said measures would be initiated to inquire what transpired from those concerned. He added, Investigation is a strong word, the first thing one would want to do and that is what we have agreed on is that all the parties that are involved in this thing, lets interview them, lets call them and lets see what is this all about so thats the first step before you go into some audit.

At this point of time there has been no decision to conduct a forensic audit but it might evolve into that, who knows, he added.

Two GECOM Commissioners and Information Technology expert who travelled to Canada to oversee the process for the ballot papers and other items will be mainly questioned.

According to Shadick, observations of the arrival of the ballot papers, statements of poll and tally sheets at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 from Canada and pictures taken there would form part of the report that would be sent to the forensic auditors.

Shadick said, a full investigation would be carried out by taking statements from all the parties involved in the procurement process, questions from the Commissioners and the finalizing of a forensic audit of the entire process would also be taken up. The cost and manner of the procurement of the ballot papers and other sensitive material stands as a matter of concern to all the commissioners.

According to the PPPC-nominated commissioners, GECOM does not have any proper procurement process including the advertising for products and services, resulting in huge sums of monies being spent without any formal agreement or documentation.

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