GECOM Chairs calls for responsible reporting from the media

–Do not sensationalise your stories she urges

DPI, Guyana, Monday, March 2, 2020

Members of the media are being called upon to be mindful when they are reporting and not “sensationalize” their stories as the tabulation of votes that were cast at the General and Regional Elections begins.

The call came from the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Retired Justice Claudette Singh during a press conference, to provide an update to the nation.

The GECOM Chairman cautioned that given the current mood of the country, new outlets must at all times, be responsible in their reporting.

“At this time, we are in a charged atmosphere and so we have to be careful how we go about spreading stories,” Justice Singh stated.

She advised that doubling checking information before issuing is crucial to avoid any unnecessary tension. “We must always verify before we publish them… these things can escalate into mistrust, so let us avoid those things.”

Nonetheless, the Chairman said that she was pleased with how the the electoral process took place. “I visited several polling stations, of course, they were long lines but GECOM staff came forward and assisted,” Justice Singh pointed out.

Overall, the process was peaceful with a few insignificant occurrences, according to the Chairman.

The elections catered for over 660,000 eligible voters countrywide at the 2339 polling stations that were provided, manned by 13,500 polling day staff. Results for the elections are expected to be available at the earliest possible time.