By Jomo Paul

President David Granger (center) flanked by Robeson Benn (left) and Bibi Shadick, following the swearing in ceremony.

[www.inewsguyana.com] – President David Granger on Tuesday, September 22 swore in two new People’s Progressive Party (PPP) nominated Commissioners to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The Commissioners, Robeson Benn and Bibi Shadick, will replace Mohamood Shaw and Athmaram Mangar, both of whom had resigned from their posts at GECOM for personal reasons.

In a brief comment shortly after the wearing in, the President stated that with the two new commissioners, GECOM is now up to capacity to efficiently deliver on its mandate.

“I received a letter from the Leader of the Opposition Mr Bharrat Jagdeo nominating Mr Benn and Ms Shadick to be Commissioners and I am very happy to comply with those recommendations so that the Guyana Elections Commission is now back up to strength and capable of discharging its responsibilities,” said President Granger.

Both Shadick and Benn were former Government Ministers under the PPP/C administration, with Benn serving as Minister of Public Works and Shadick as Minister of Human Services and Social Security. She most recently served as the head of the Guyana Broadcasting Authority (GBA).

On September 17, the PPP in a statement had urged the President to appoint the Commissioners post haste.

“The absence of these members is hampering the PPP’s representation on the commission. The PPP recalls the undue haste with which the government, using its parliamentary majority, pushed through the National Assembly, the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2015,” the Party had stated.