THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has announced that it will be hosting a Public Forum on the appointment of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), on Friday, January 20, 2017 at the Umana Yana from 5pm.
In a statement, the party said the forum is “intended to further sensitize the public on the importance of adhering to the democratic process of appointing a Chairman of GECOM.”
The Party said it believes “this is crucial to safeguarding the country’s hard-earned democracy especially in the context of the worrying signs the government is sending following the President’s rejection of a list of potential candidates for the position and the numerous, inconsistent and strained interpretations which been placed upon the relevant powers of the Constitution in respect to this issue.”
The PPP has lashed out criticism at President David Granger over his decision to turn down the Opposition Leader’s six nominees for the GECOM Chairman job.
The President has since asked the Opposition Leader to submit a new list of persons who would not be unacceptable to the President.
The Constitution allows the President to make a choice from the nominees put forward by the Opposition Leader. The President has been pointing to the constitutional requirements for the job. The nominees, according to the Constitution, should be a Judge, served as a Judge or qualified to be a Judge. Additionally, the President could also decide on a nominee that he finds “fit and proper” for the job.
The PPP said its forum will be addressed by the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, Nigel Hinds and other representatives of Civil Society.
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