Dear Editor,
In order to amend any proposed system, you must first check the shortcomings of the current system. It is in this context that a Commission of Inquiry (COI) should be established to review all aspects of the March 2nd 2020 elections.
Recent calls by the European Union Observer Mission to urgently address electoral reforms include the promise made by HE President Irfan Ali in his inauguration speech, when he so eloquently and enthusiastically proclaimed: one of us very aware of the trauma and the ingratitude. that our people have suffered over the last five months, as vigorous efforts are being made to destroy our democratic credentials and deny the will of the electorate. We all have an obligation to the nation and to ourselves to ensure that no generation of our people should ever be subjected to such unlawful behavior again.
Therefore, a review of events related to the electoral process over the last five months will begin shortly, to forensically determine exactly what happened, and to hold to account any persons who attempted to pervert and corrupt the system. More importantly, we will pursue the reforms necessary to make our democracy stronger and our electoral process more transparent. ”
The President should commission a COI to the events of the March 02nd 2020 elections as promised, and should include at least three distinguished Commonwealth officers with extensive experience in various electoral processes.
The scope and scope of the COI should cover events before election day, on election day, and events after critical election day. A diligent inquiry should be made, but should not be limited to the following areas:
• Appointing the Chair of the Election Commission and hiring GECOM Secretariat staff and general election day personnel.
• A review of all manuals and Standard Operating Procedures as they relate to registration, voting, voting statements, ballot boxes etc.
• Selection process for Returning Officers, polling staff, district and regional officials.
• Issue of votes and voting on election day. Count the votes after the close of poll, and pass the results to GECOM headquarters
• tabulate and declare results with particular emphasis on Region Four.
• Hosting or misbehaving the GECOM Secretariat in declaring the final election results.
• A review of the performance, or otherwise, of the Chair of GECOM.
• Whether the attempts to reverse the elections were systemic in nature, or were they the deliberate manipulation of selected individuals.
• Recommendations on electoral reforms.
As the European Mission emphasized, we should start the process now in order to have sufficient time to reach consensus on the reforms for the 2025 elections, and to hold those who sought to reverse the system to account.
Yours faithfully,
Reggie Bhagwandin