Keith Lowenfield, is new Chief Election Officer

Mar 13, 2014 News

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has picked one of its top officials as the new Chief Elections Officer (CEO).
Keith Lowenfield is one of four persons shortlisted from 14 applications, GECOM confirmed yesterday.
Lowenfield, a former army official, would have been given the nod ahead of Calvin Benn, the acting CEO who took over after the non-renewal of the contract of Gocool Boodoo early last year, but decided to pull out of the race earlier this month.

New GECOM’s boss, Keith Lowenfield

Benn and Lowenfield were among four shortlisted, along with Jamaican Danville Walker and Washington-based Savitrie Singh.
According to GECOM in a statement on the appointment, its Commissioners yesterday decided unanimously to appoint Lowenfield, said to be in his mid-50’s, as the new Chief Elections Officer and Commissioner of National Registration. The decision was taken at a special meeting of GECOM yesterday.
GECOM said that appointment would bring to an end “a very lengthy and meticulous procedure” associated with the matter including advertising the vacancy locally and overseas and the shortlisting of suitable candidates from the 14 applications received. It also involved determining the procedures for the interviews and the actual interviews.
GECOM said that Benn, who served as the acting CEO, was not interviewed because he tendered a letter earlier this month, “informing regretfully that he was no longer interested in the post of Chief Elections Officer and that, by way of the said letter, he was withdrawing his application for the post.”
Benn, according to GECOM, indicated that he had engaged in some serious reflection during a recent period of illness and had concluded that it would be unwise to compete for the position of Chief Elections Officer.
“Further, he expressed regrets to the Commission for any inconvenience which might have been caused by his change of heart.”
Following GECOM’s decision, Lowenfield was summoned to before the Commissioners and informed of his appointment.
Lowenfield joined GECOM in 2001 as the Logistics Manager and was appointed in 2004 as the Deputy CEO. He has served as the acting CEO on a number of occasions.
Yesterday, Parliment’s largest Opposition bloc, A Partnership For National Unity (APNU), joined in expressing support for Lowenfield’s appointment.
“A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) congratulates Mr. Keith Lowenfield on his appointment as the Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
APNU is confident that during Mr. Lowenfield’s tenure as Chief Elections Officer there will be non-controversial and properly administered elections.”
Last year August, GECOM started advertising for a new CEO. September 30, 2013 was the deadline for applications.
The Chief Elections Officer will also act as a primary point of contact to the staff members of the Secretariat, whose activities include the registration of registrants; the distribution of ID Cards; the provision of information and guidance on electoral operational matters to community organisations and other stakeholders.
Early last year, GECOM had started considerations to issue the former Chief Elections Officer, Gocool Boodoo, with a new contract, but there were objections from some of the Commissioners.
Boodoo then moved to the court to block a decision by the Commission not to renew his contract, but the matter was thrown out.
GECOM is expected to pronounce on the elections today during a press conference to introduce Lowenfield.