A cloud of suspicion

The Guyana Press Association has undermined its credibility by withholding the list of eligible voters ahead of the election this Sunday. Several editors from media agencies nationwide called out the GPA for its lack of transparency and accountability.

The persons at the helm and executive are the same persons who were silent during the rigging of the 2020 election, even as international bodies issued statements of condemnation, and the same GPA with operatives covering the same elections pretended to be ignorant of what was happening.

The same Press Association that lambasted GECOM in 2020 for poor provision of public information is refusing to answer its members and a candidate for leadership on a fundamental issue of the electoral process.

In a statement, the GPA said that the returning officer, attorney-at-law Ronald Burch-Smith, would make a list public on the day of the elections to preserve the confidentiality of members.

“Preserve the confidentiality of members,” when the media population is so small? The Association is even smaller and all who operate in the media landscape are known to each other.

Many persons have also left the media and the Association. Withholding names gives the impression that you are hiding people who are not supposed to have membership within the organisation, and giving them the ability to de - cide the fate of the GPA, while shutting out current persons who are trying to gain membership but are being blocked from doing so.

The current GPA president and executive have squatted in office for over three years under the guise of COVID-19, since they were elected to office in January 2018, and elections should have been held in 2020.

As organisations around the world continued and made considerable strides in addressing procedures for making polling safe during pandemic conditions, the GPA took the opportunity to exploit the situation and squat in office until they were called out for delaying their elections.

To maintain its credibility and public trust, the GPA should strive to uphold transparency, adhere to ethical standards, and provide unbiased information to the public and its membership. Withholding important information, such as the list of eligible voters, can have significant negative consequences and undermine the association's role.

The consequences include lack of transparency, accusations of bias, loss of credibility, public backlash, legal and regulatory implications.

Transparency is a crucial aspect of journalism and Press Associations.

The Press Association fails to demonstrate transparency in its processes by withholding the list of eligible voters. This can erode public trust in the Association's credibility and impartiality. Withholding the list of eligible voters can give rise to accusations of bias or favoritism. If the press association is perceived as withholding the list to manipulate the election outcomes or promote a particular agenda, it can damage its reputation and be seen as untrustworthy.

The press association's credibility rests on its ability to provide accurate and unbiased information. Withholding important information, such as the list of eligible voters, undermines its credibility and integrity, making it difficult for the public to rely on its reporting and analysis.

In an era where information flows rapidly, the decision to withhold the list of eligible voters is likely to face public backlash. Social media and other communication channels can amplify criticism and discontent, potentially leading to public campaigns against the press association or calls for greater transparency and accountability.

The GPA is expected to adhere to certain standards and guidelines; failure to do so can result in consequences.

To maintain its credibility and public trust, the GPA should strive to uphold transparency, adhere to ethical standards, and provide unbiased information. Withholding important information, such as the list of eligible voters, can have significant negative consequences and undermine the association's role The forthcoming election of the executive of the Guyana Press Association is being held under a cloud of suspicion.