As the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the 2020 General and Regional Elections is set to commence in just over two weeks, Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton today said his party has no interest in the Commission which he believes is already marred by partisanship.
He said his party will be focused on the election petition cases that are currently before the Courts which are challenging the validly and legality of the results declared at the last elections.
“The government is a party to the elections, they were culpable in the elections and this is a case of charging Caeser to be tried by Caeser, they should not be choosing anybody for involvement in a Commission in which they are accused of crimes,” Mr. Norton said.
Mr. Norton said that the government has already shown that it will fight the elections petition cases that are before the Court, even as it said that it has nothing to hide. He urged that the petitions be given priority over any other investigation
“It was this very government who was shouting that the way to deal with these issues is by way of elections petition, this same government now turns around and trying to ensure that the elections petition doesn’t come to the fore and if it does it must come after a COI that is set up by the government to achieve whatever results it wants,” the Opposition Leader said.
According to a recent public notice, the Commission’s terms of reference are to inquire into and report upon the relevant circumstances and events leading up to and procedures following the General and Regional Elections in Guyana on March 2, 2020. But Norton said the government is too involved in the process.
“For us, the COI is an attempt to hoodwink the people of Guyana, and to produce information that suits the PPP. Clearly it is the elections petition that matters and we will focus on the elections petition,” the Opposition Leader said.
Last month, the three Commissioners set to preside over the CoI were sworn in.
The three Commissioners are retired Trinidadian Judge Stanley John, former Eastern Caribbean Judge Godfrey P. Smith; and former Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana, Justice Carl Singh.
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