Elections Commissioner Desmond Trotman has accused his fellow Commissioner Clement Rohee, of attempting to discredit who he considers to be, “the most qualified” candidate for the post of Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO).
However, according to Commissioner Rohee, it is Trotman who is being mischievous.
On Monday, Mr. Trotman told reporters that during the process of interviewing the four candidates for the position, Melanie Marshall, Mohamed Arjoon, Deodat Persaud and Aneal Giddings, Commissioner Rohee, in an attempt to “discredit” Marshall, asked her whether her previous promotions were granted in return for favours.
“Clement Rohee took the opportunity to question the woman’s qualification not only questioning the qualification but questioning how it is she was promoted. If in fact, her promotions had anything to do with her qualification or more to do with her being granted favours,” Commissioner Trotman explained.
He said the questions posed by Commissioner Rohee were distasteful and out of order, and were intended to besmirch Marshall’s good character. He said for the record, Marshall told the Commission that her promotions were based on her wealth of experience and qualifications.
But Commissioner Rohee told News Source that Commissioner Trotman is being untruthful.
“He is lying and he is making up a story. There is no truth in that. Mr Trotman is just being wicked and malicious and is trying to stir up controversy,” Commissioner Rohee said.
He said the questions posed to Marshall last week were similar to those he asked when she applied for the position of Voter Registration Manager.
Marshall currently serves as GECOM’s Voter Registration Manager. Prior to her appointment last year, she acted in the position for some six years.
She has been working with the Elections Commission for more than 16 years.
Commissioner Trotman said based on the requirements set out by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Marshall is the only candidate qualified for the post, but Commissioner Rohee said the best candidate will be determined at the end of the evaluation process.
“It was very clear that one candidate, the female person, Melanie Marshall, was head and shoulders above everybody else. The first two person, who we interviewed, really didn’t come up to scratch, they didn’t had the experience; the fourth person was this fella Aneal Giddings,” Commissioner Trotman concluded.
However, he said from all indication, the three Government nominated commissioners – Clement Rohee, Sase Gunraj and Manoj Narayan – are pushing for Giddings to be appointed DCEO. Trotman said Giddings will not get the support of the Opposition-nominated Commissioners.
Commissioner Trotman recalled that it was Giddings, who while serving in his capacity as the Commission’s IT Manager – removed the Election Secretariat’s server without the requisite approval during the height of the Elections fiasco at the Ashmins Building back in 2020.
“I objected to it on the ground that unless he was vindicated by an inquiry, which will say that during the 2020 tabulation of the votes, his removal of the server from the computer wasn’t one of criminal intent, and I said as a result of that, I am reiterating my position that unless there is vindication of you by a Commission or some expert, I will not approve you being promoted,” Commissioner Trotman said.
He said Giddings does not meet the requirements for the position, even after those requirements were reduced. He is of the opinion that the Government by pushing to appoint Giddings is setting the ground work for the 2025 Elections.
The Elections Commission is scheduled to meet today, to initiate the evaluation process.
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