International IDEA updates GCCI on initiatives for voter education and supporting electoral integrity
On June 25, President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Mrs. Kathy Smith met with officials from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), the organisation that is executing a programme funded by the European Union to support electoral integrity as Guyana approaches the 2025 General and Regional Elections.
International IDEA’s Programme Manager, Ambassador Marcelo Varela-Erasheva, and Programme Officer, Mr. Junior Paul Chanderpaul met with Mrs. Smith in the GCCI’s boardroom and provided an update on the execution of the programme as well as outlined some planned initiatives for voter education.
Voter education handbooks and videos have been produced which also cater to persons with hearing and visual challenges, while training sessions for Observers and Journalists are in the pipeline. The materials being produced, the Ambassador shared, are all being reviewed and approved by the Guyana Elections Commission.
Mrs. Smith also updated the International IDEA team on the Chamber’s progress in establishing its Observer Group, and the two officials discussed collaborating to train the observers. She reinforced the Chamber’s desire for a free, fair and transparent election that respects the rule of law and tenets of democracy, as well as the expectation for timely results.
