Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has rushed to the defence of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh, in wake of criticism from the Opposition.

The Opposition continues to accuse Singh of showcasing bias at the Elections Commission and always siding with Government nominated Commissioners.

At a press conference last Thursday, Mr. Jagdeo said the Opposition’s criticism borders on attempts to pressure the GECOM Chair into compromising her Constitutional responsibilities.

He praised the GECOM Chair for her commitment to upholding the rule of law and maintaining the integrity of Guyana’s electoral processes.

“She is a respected former judge and someone who has consistently upheld the principles of the Constitution,” Jagdeo said.

The Vice President rejected accusations from the opposition that Singh has been colluding with the government, labeling such claims as “baseless” and a deliberate strategy to undermine trust in electoral institutions.

Mr. Jagdeo recounted instances where Singh had ruled against the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) when she sat as a Judge on the High Court.

“When Claudette Singh ruled against us and declared our term unconstitutional, we respected her decision and went back to elections. Her actions have always been guided by the Constitution, not political pressure,” he remarked.

The Vice President also criticized the Opposition’s calls for the removal of names from the voters’ list, calling those demands unconstitutional and contrary to prior Court rulings.

“Singh has been firm in her stance to follow the law, even when faced with immense pressure. It’s about upholding the Constitution, not about favoring any political party,” Jagdeo stated.

He characterized the opposition’s behavior as an attempt to intimidate the GECOM Chair and destabilize the democratic process. “This behavior is unacceptable. It’s an effort to destabilize our democratic framework,” he said, likening the tactics to those he said were used in previous elections.

He said his party and the Government remain committed to free, fair, and transparent elections.

The opposition has previously raised concerns about the integrity of the voters’ list and what they describe as favoritism within GECOM.

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