The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is actively seeking the acquisition of a plot of land in Wismar, Linden to construct a new office. This was revealed today by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira.
The development comes three years after GECOM’s office, which was situated on the upper flat of a rented building on Burnham Drive, First Alley, Wismar, went up in flames.
Three persons have since been charged with arson.
The minister announced GECOM’s plans to rebuild as she was defending allocations to constitutional bodies in the Committee of Supply during the consideration of the 2024 budget estimates and expenditure.
Posing the question about the allocation was Opposition Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira. The opposition legislator questioned whether an allocation is being considered for the rental of office space to house the Wismar GECOM staff.
Teixeira said that GECOM recognizes the need for a new building and that the body is actively seeking a plot of land to construct a new office at Wismar.
She said that no money was budgeted in 2024 to rent an office place in Wismar.
“They’re hoping to get the land and build an office there,” he said.
She confirmed that the Wismar staff will remain at the Mackenzie office in the interim.
Figueira, before taking his seat, said that if the government can provide GECOM with the land then the agency would not have to look.
Teixeira responded, “They are in the process, I’m advised. You know, we can’t just go and put sticks on land – that’s squatting, but they’re going through the legal process to acquire land in Wismar for the purposes of building an office. I’m sure you wouldn’t want GECOM to go squat.”
