GECOM Chair writes political parties asking for “compromise”
Elections 2020
…fiasco could have been avoided if Chair exercised her responsibility – Jagdeo
Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh, has written to the Commissioners representing the two major political parties – People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and APNU/AFC – calling for “compromise” in agreeing on the next steps on the work of the electoral body.
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Justice Singh made the overture on Tuesday, days after committing to not flouting the law and to await the decision by Chief Justice Roxane George, before taking a decision on the way forward regarding GECOM and the declaration of the results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections.
The GECOM Chair in an official ‘note’ to stakeholders said while the entity is a constitutional agency, it is still subjected to the laws of Guyana, “hence the mandatory injunction granted against the Commission and the Chief Elections Officer” has affected the finalisation of the Commission’s work.
She observed nonetheless, that GECOM, cognisant of the urgency with which the Commission must complete its work, anticipates “that there will be a greater level of compromise by the six commissioners in agreeing on the next steps, following the decision of the Chief Justice”.
Avoiding fiasco
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, when asked to respond to the GECOM Chair’s letter, told Guyana Times, “I don’t have a clue what she is talking about. Had she exercised her responsibility in the first place, we could have avoided this fiasco”.
The Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic on Thursday last managed to secure an injunction against the Returning Officer from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Clairmont Mingo, from making any declarations for the district without first verifying the tabulations.
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