THE rejection of the list of candidates for chairmanship of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) by President David Granger is firmly supported by his coalition partner, the Alliance For Change (AFC). Speaking at the party’s first news conference for the year, AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan said President David Granger acted within his constitutional right to reject the list of names submitted by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.
“My understanding is that the President has found that the first list is unacceptable. And that is wholly constitutional,” Ramjattan said.
Jagdeo submitted his first list to President Granger last month, but his nominees failed to find favour with the President.
Jagdeo has nominated History Professor James Rose and Indian rights activist Rhyaan Shah, both of whom have openly supported the opposition party; also nominated are Attorney-at-Law and Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram; Governance and Conflict Resolution Specialist, Lawrence Lachmansingh; retired Major- General, Norman Mc Lean; and Business Executive, Ramesh Dookhoo.

Article 121 (2) of the Constitution states that, “Subject to the provisions of paragraph (4), the Chairman of the Elections Commission shall be a person who holds or who has held office as a judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth, or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court, or who is qualified to be appointed as any such judge, or any other fit and proper person, to be appointed by the President from a list of six persons, not unacceptable to the President, submitted by the Leader of the Opposition after meaningful consultation with the non-governmental political parties represented in the National Assembly.”
Ramjattan, a prominent attorney, in quoting the Constitution, said the President acted within the ambits of the law and there is no legal requirement for him (the President) to explain why he found these individuals to be unacceptable.
“There are no reasons that are required for the President to give to the Opposition Leader why he doesn’t want the six names. No court of law can compel him to do that, it is a political question and the issue is non-justiciable. Whatever reason the President gives, it does not matter, because that is not relevant. It is the fact that he does not find them acceptable,” he told reporters.
Ramjattan said that the next move, as is stipulated by law, is for a second list to be submitted by the Opposition Leader, and, if the President believes that this list too is not acceptable, then he can proceed to name whomever he wants as provided for by the law.
“It is totally constitutional what the President is doing. They [PPP] want to probably do a piece of mischief,” he added.
After his list was rejected by the President, Jagdeo wrote the Head of State seeking clarity on what constitutes “fit and proper” as the law states.
And although he has not received a formal response yet, the Opposition Leader contended that the President does not want to meet him.
“It’s interesting that I’ve never requested a meeting with the President in two years and he’s refusing to meet with me,” he told reporters, adding that if he does have the opportunity to meet President Granger, he would propose taking the matter to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
Meanwhile, the AFC leader believes that the President should not meet Jagdeo, given the latter’s disregard for the Head of State since he assumed office.
“Absolutely not,” Ramjattan said, when asked if he believes the President should meet the Opposition Leader.
He justified his position by reasoning that when the President went to the Parliament to give a speech recently, Jagdeo had walked out.
“He [Jagdeo] is destructive about social cohesion. Given egotist that he is, he believes when he says he wants to meet the President, the President must say ‘yes boy, what time, and where’?” the AFC leader contended.