By Svetlana Marshall

Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh has admitted that she has no power to remove the three GECOM Commissioners who were nominated by a previous political Opposition.

The admission reportedly came in a meeting this morning between the GECOM Chairman and Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and members of his team.

Among the issues discussed during the meeting was the appointment of new Opposition Commissioners to the Election Commission. However, according to Mr. Mohamed, Justice Singh indicated that it is not within her remit to remove the Commissioners, who were nominated by People’s National Congress Reform and later the APNU+AFC when they made up the main Opposition.

“We talked about the commissioners but madam chair said she doesn’t have the power and authority to move the commissioners. So what we will do, we will write the three APNU Commissioners thanking them for their time, and asking them to do the honorable thing and resign to make way for our commissioners because we feel our commissioners will represent us well,” the Opposition Leader said.

Mr. Mohamed said the Office of the Opposition Leader will write the three Commissioners – Vincent Alexander, Desmond Trotman and Charles Corbin – as early as today, requesting that they demit office.

Opposition Chief Whip, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley said it is important to have the main opposition represented on the Commission.

“I think even during the elections we recognized that the views and the position of We Invest in Nationhood were not necessarily the interest of the Commission because the Commissioners were looking and dealing with what the APNU wanted them to say and do and represent on the Commission. It is in the best interest of We Invest in Nationhood, which is now the leading opposition in Parliament to have a stake and a say in what is happening at GECOM,” MP Sarabo-Halley said.

MP Sarabo-Halley said the party contemplates that the Opposition Leader would have an input on who sits on the Commission.

“While there are a lot of statements going around about tenure-ship and how long persons are supposed to stay there, the fact is that we have a new Leader of the Opposition, and the new Leader of the Opposition does not come from any of the parties that are currently sitting in GECOM, and so, I believe that we are entitled to have commissioners there,” she said.

MP Natasha Singh echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that WIN must be presented on the Commission.

At least one of the current Opposition nominated Commissioners has stated that if they are being called upon to resign, then the Chairman should also resign because the same process that allowed for their nomination to the position, allowed for her nomination.

Another issue raised was that of the appointment of Opposition scrutineers to the Elections Commission. Approximately 69 scrutineers are expected to be appointed by the Opposition Leader including the Chief Scrutineer.

Presently, the Opposition’s Chief Scrutineer is Carol Smith Joseph, who was appointed by APNU+AFC. Based on discussions with the Chairman of GECOM, WIN is expected to write Mrs. Smith-Joseph to indicate that a new Chief Scrutineer would be appointed by WIN.

“She said as soon as today we could write Ms. Carol Joseph because she is the Chief Scrutineer for the APNU, and so, we will be writing her, and letting her know that we will be appointing our scrutineer, and then our chief scrutineer will appoint the others,” Mr. Mohamed said.

Weighing in on the issue, MP Hetsberger said with Local Government Elections expected to be held within months, it is important to have both the chief scrutineer and regular scrutineers appointed.

“The law provides for the opposition parties in parliament to appoint scrutineers starting with the appointment of a chief scrutineer who will in turn appoints the different scrutineers. You have deputy chief scrutineer, assistant chief scrutineer, and divisional scrutineers, that is to help the process to be transparent. So, the Opposition Leader will appoint the chief scrutineer to ensure that process continues,” MP Hetsberger explained.

 He said the interest of the main opposition must be represented even at the level of the scrutineers.

A request by News Source for an interview with the Chairman of the Commission on the meeting with the Opposition Leader and WIN parliamentary representatives was refused.

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