Latest update April 5th, 2025 12:59 AM
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Opposition Leader yet to submit new list for GECOM chair – Harmon
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has yet to formally submit his second list of six names to be considered by President David Granger to fill the position of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon
This is according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon who, at a post cabinet press briefing yesterday at the Ministry of the Presidency, said that contrary to reports in some sections of the media, government has no knowledge of the names which will be included on Jagdeo’s second list.
Harmon made reference to an article published by the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday which said that two judges and a sitting member of the board of the Guyana Elections Commission were on the shortlist of names.
The article identified Retired Justices, Claudette Singh and B.S. Roy, former People’s Progressive Party Member of Parliament and GECOM Commissioner, Bibi Shadick, Attorneys Timothy Jonas and Kashir Khan and environmentalist, Annette Arjoon-Martins.
Harmon said that after reading the report, he got the sense that these names were included on the list sent by the leader of the opposition. “I can say to you this morning (yesterday) that no list has been sent by the leader of the opposition to His Excellency the President.”
The criteria set out by the president for someone to take up the position of GECOM chairman are as follows; the candidate should be a person who is qualified to be a judge of the High Court under Article 129 of the Constitution and under Section 5 of the High Court Act, Cap 3:02; that person should have been an attorney-at-law for a minimum of seven years, according to Section 5 of the High Court Act, Cap 3:02; In the absence of 1 and 2 above ‘any other fit and proper person’ should be appointed according to Article 161 (2) of the Constitution.
The categories of persons specified above are necessary because such persons should have the following characteristics; deemed to have wide electoral knowledge, capable of handling electoral matters because he or she is qualified to exercise unlimited jurisdiction in civil matters; will discharge his or her functions without fear or favour, that is, he or she will not allow any person or organization to influence him or her to compromise his or her neutrality; will discharge his or her functions neutrally, between the two opposing parties, as he or she would have done in court between two opposing litigants; will not be an activist in any form (gender, racial, religious etc), and should also have a general character of honesty, integrity, faithfulness and diligence in the discharge of his or her duty as Chairman.
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