owes various contractors an estimated $40 million

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The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) owes various contractors an estimated $40 million, but it seems a far way from paying off that debt, even as a new round of the Claims and Objections period that would cost millions more.Two GECOM Commissioners this week expressed concern that the government had committed funds for a new round of Claims and Objections while the Commission is unable to clear its outstanding debts.Yesterday, the government’s chief spokesman, Dr Roger Luncheon, said that the government’s release of the funds to GECOM to clear its debts is “a work in progress.”Dr Luncheon said that he has seen documents related to GECOM’s unpaid accounts, but said that the delay is tied up in the need for authorization, referring to the need for the accounts to be verified.Contractors, including those who provided transportation and catering, were hired as the Commission worked to pull off Local Government elections last year. These elections never came off, and an official at GECOM told Kaieteur News, the money was withdrawn by the Ministry of Finance.As it stands, the official noted that it appears that GECOM is expected to clear its debts from “savings” from the round of funds that would be provided for the conduct of this year’s general elections, which the Commission sees it can pull off by mid-November.  General elections are constitutionally due by December 28.GECOM met in a special session, Monday, to consider re-opening the Claims and Objections period to get more persons to register and came out with a 3-2 majority vote in favour of.Commissioners Charles Corbin and Vincent Alexander were the dissenting Commissioners. They both expressed concern about the matter of finances.However, both the GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally, and the Chief Elections Officer Gocool Boodoo, were confident that funds would be made available for the new round of Claims and Objections, under which those persons who were not able to register would be given another opportunity to do so.However, Monday, Boodoo could not say how much reopening the process would cost, and as of yesterday, Dr Luncheon said GECOM had not yet submitted its budget.The new round of Claims and Objections would commence on Monday and last for 13 days, with the first 10 days being allowed for Claims (which accommodates new registrations).The Commissioner had already voted unanimously not to take the Claims and Objections period beyond June 9, but one month later GECOM Commissioner Mahmood Shaw brought the proposal to re-open the process after political parties suggested that “something” be done to accommodate those persons who did not have their birth certificates and were unable to register.The new Claims and Objections period will involve the reestablishment of Temporary Offices targeting the entire Guyana, the re-hiring of temporary staff to be posted at the various offices, the deployment of Mobile Registration Units to far flung hinterland and riverain communities, the accreditation of Scrutineers to monitor the registration process, and the advertisement of the conduct of the exercise via all available media.