By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – The ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is maintaining its displeasure with the appointment of Richard Francois as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and is calling on the election body to make public his Terms of Reference (TOR), job description and contractual arrangements.
The PPP contends that Francois is openly supportive of the political Opposition and provided several pieces of evidence from Francois’ personal Facebook page, dating back years ago, to support its claim.
At press conference this morning, Monday, October 20, General Secretary of the Party, Clement Rohee said, “if they want to be transparent, let them publish terms of reference and job description of Mr Francois as well as his contractual arrangements…let us carry this thing right down to the wire.”
Rohee believes that the PRO has the ability to compromise the integrity of GECOM.
However, Chairman of GECOM, Dr Steve Surujbally is reported in some sections of the media as expressing confidence in Francois. The Chairman cited the constitution which noted that political parties must not become involved in the management of GECOM.
In 2010, François completed his Master of Arts (Honours) Degree from Middlesex University, London in the field of Marketing Communications. He attended the Dubai campus of the university.
Richard graduated from the University of Guyana in 2005 with a Degree in Communications.
He is the former Public Relations Officer (ag) of Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) who pioneered the Company’s first major and successful energy conservation campaign entitled ‘Switch it Off, Plug it Out!
He also worked with the Ministry of Education and the National Communications Network (NCN).
Just another RED HERRING!!!!
I man tink dis man bin a skool in Hinglan.
Sacand reedin seh Im go to skool in Dooboy??
And guess what Im study Kommunikation?
Im ussle back to Gyanoh quick!
Did Rohee or the PPP ever ask for the duties or terms of employment for Vishnu Persaud when he was Gecom’s PRO? NO! Did the opposition ever do that? NO! The only reason Rohee and the PPP are raising these questions is to find new reasons not to stage LGE, having already tried bare-faced lies like voters are not ready and Gecom is not ready.
The duties of a Public Relations Officer are pretty much straightforward, inclusive of which are answering questions from the public, and taking raw information and packaging it in the form of storyline to present to the public, including the media. But at all times, the PRO is the face and voice of the organizations/he represents, therefore, before s/he is allowed to field questions or present information, these must be vetted by her or his superiors.
Ergo, Mr. Francois cannot compromise anything about Gecom, which has a Chairman, a Chief Elections Officer and 8 Gecom Commissioners – 4 of whom are appointed by the PPP regime – and all of whom can refute anything the PRO presents.
Yuh tink is only goat does wear horn?
well pnc send their pray people to pray away one from GECOM after last election..
ppp should hire some pnc pray people to pray away the entire cabal at GECOM.
DE FORMER US AMBASSADOR GAT ALL DEM AT GECOM HOPPING LIKE RABBIT….HE/ THEY ALL KNOW SOMETHING SINISTER IS UP IN GECOM..
THIS IS DE FUSS YEAR EVER PNC HALLERING DEM GUTS OUT FOR LGE..
THE QUESTION IS….y…Y NOW?? PNC COULD SMELL THE STENCH IN GECOM AND MOVING IN FOR THE KILL..
I would like to ask a question: Why didn’t Mr. Steve Surujballi accuse PNC/APNU of getting involved in the management of GECOM when they were protesting unjustly in front of his house in 2011? I will answer this question myself: It is because he is A BIG COWARD. They now get Steve Surujballi where they want. Man-up, Steve , Man-up. Don’t be a toothless poodle for the PNC[ now calledAPNU] like Bollers.The constitution requires you to be professional.
“The Chairman cited the constitution which noted that political parties must not become involved in the management of GECOM.” That is exactly what the Chairman of GECOM ,Mr. Steve Surujballi, is permitting -an OPENLY politically affiliated person ,Mr. Richard Francois to be now involved in the management of GECOM. Of course he will slant things in favour of his political party,and Mr. Steve Surujballi,if he is as independent and professional as he would like us to believe, wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it. I KNOW that it is GECOM’s policy not to employ persons who are openly politically affiliated. Come on, Mr. Steve Surujballi, why are you now breaking your own rules?Why?