With Opposition claims of a lack of impartiality on her part, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh, is pushing back against the claims of her being politically biased.

“I beg your pardon, I am not politically biased…I have never been biased,” Justice Singh told News Source at the conclusion of Nomination Day at the Umana Yana on Monday.

The three opposition-nominated Elections Commissioners – Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin, and Desmond Trotman – have repeatedly accused the GECOM Chairperson of consistently using her casting vote, to vote in favor of the recommendations of the governing party, while shutting down their suggestions and ideas on issues of national electoral importance.

But in pushing aside those allegations, Justice Singh said it is unfortunate that often times she is forced to use her casting vote to break the gridlock to advance the work of the Commission.

“I hope on positions. It is unfortunate how the commission is arranged that you have to use a casting vote. I do not think a casting vote should be in place, when they amend the constitution. It should not have a casting vote,” the GECOM chair said.

The Carter Center, in its Election Report on the 2020 General and Regional Elections in Guyana, said the Carter Formula, which is used to appoint Election Commissioners, has resulted in “a highly polarized and sometimes ineffective Board of Commissioners.”

According to the Carter Center, it also places the major parties at an advantage while excluding newer parties. The Carter Center recommended in 2020 that the Commission’s structure be adjusted to increase its independence, effectiveness and professionalism.

For Justice Singh, the entire Commission should be overhauled, but she acknowledged that there is need for reform.

“I would say, you revamp the commission, a different commission but all those places would require constitutional changes. We will have to look at different systems around the world, and you see what different systems commissions have,” she said.

But in the absence of those reforms, Justice Singh said GECOM is doing its best, and she is confident that all systems are in place to facilitate free and fair elections come September 1.

In its 2020 Report, the Carter Centre also said GECOM would benefit if it takes steps to provide greater transparency. It noted then that the decision making-processes were carried out in closed-door meetings, and few decisions were publicly explained, resulting in a decline in the public’s trust.

In this regard, Justice Singh said the Commission is working with a number of international bodies to improve its operational efficiency. She also committed to hosting regular press conferences whenever major decisions are made at the level of the Commission.

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