The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has approved applications for at least three international observers to monitor the March 2, 2020 polls. This disclosure was made by the Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP), Joseph Harmon during a post-Cabinet press conference held this morning.
Harmon said that it was during Cabinet’s meeting on Tuesday, that the matter of international observers was raised. The body was informed that the applications were approved and were subsequently sent to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
The approved international bodies are Carter Centre; the Commonwealth Secretariat; and the Organisation of American States (OAS).
Harmon said that these entities have been monitoring Guyanese elections for many years. He expressed confidence in their abilities to operate with integrity.
This development also comes on the heels of the opposition upping its call for the GECOM and government to have these observers commence their work soonest. Just recently, the former Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, said that the observers should not just monitor election day activities, but should also be part of the list verification processes, amongst other administrative duties. He is of the belief that the presence of international observers will remove doubts in the minds of Guyanese about free and fair elections.
