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GECOM official reaffirms professionalism
Oct 09, 2014 News
…despite concerns of biased leaning
By Nicholas Peters
Facing concerns over the level of his professionalism, is recently appointed Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Richard Francois.
On Tuesday, the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) General Secretary, and Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, at his weekly press conference at Freedom House, expressed his party’s concern over the appointment of Francois.
He said that his Party has information which suggests that the PRO has political affiliations which would “compromise” his position as an official of GECOM.
According to the ruling party, Francois is openly supportive and sympathetic towards the Opposition, which would run counter to the Commission’s claims of appointing professionals.
The General Secretary also called on the Commission to explain and reexamine Francois’s appointment, since the PPP believes that there are incidents involving the GECOM official which display a lack of professionalism due to his purported affiliations.
Francois said that he does not know where the politician could have got that opinion. The GECOM official stated, “I am not politically affiliated anywhere…I have never had a political affiliation with anyone.”
He added that he has been working as a professional all his life and will continue to be a professional, despite the concerns raised by the PPP member or any member of any political party.
Meanwhile, as a response to the Minister’s comments, the Youths For David Granger, urged that GECOM desist from meeting the demands made by the PPP, calling it a “blatant and ill-spirited attack on the youths of this country”.
The organization went on to label the request as “unprincipled and unconstitutional”. The right to work is a basic human right that is an imperative part of Guyana’s Constitution.
Richard Francois is a University of Guyana graduate with a Degree in Communications and a Master of Arts Degree in Marketing Communications. Francois has worked for a number of years in the Public Relations Department of Guyana Power and Light Inc and a Strategic Communications Consultant for the Minister of Education. He also worked as freelance radio announcer for the state-owned, National Communication Network (NCN).
In addressing the matter, Dr. Steve Surujbally, Chairman to GECOM, said, “I do not comment on anything that is purported by the media as another person’s opinion.” He said that he will respond accordingly to Minister Rohee’s documented opinion.
The position of Public Relations Officer was left vacant at GECOM, after the former PRO Vishnu Persaud was appointed as the Deputy Chief Elections Officer in April.
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