The President has ignored the Chief Justice’s ruling

Oct 22, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
President David Granger has acting in breach of the Constitution, in light of the ruling given by the Acting Chief Justice, Roxanne George by unilaterally appointing a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). And the Guyanese people are also witness to his posture on adhering to constitutional provisions. In addition to the unilateral decision, the consequences of which he will be held responsible, Granger’s own comments expose his disposition in respecting Guyana’s Constitution and upholding its provisions.
According to an article from an online news outlet, Demerara Waves, headlined ‘Age not a stumbling block for new “apolitical” GECOM Chairman’, Granger was asked why one of the 18 persons nominated by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, was not selected. In response, Granger said: “Taken as a whole, the list was unacceptable to me and that is all I need to say in accordance with the constitution.”
Having already disregarded the ruling of the Acting Chief Justice with his unilateral appointment of a GECOM Chairman, Granger’s comment represent a further disregard of her ruling, as it relates to the need for him to explain why he rejected all 18 persons nominated by Jagdeo. In the case of businessman, Marcel Gaskin vs. the Attorney General – where he asked the court to interpret the Constitution, relative to the appointment of a GECOM Chairperson – four questions were put to the court.
One of those questions was whether the President is required under the Constitution to state reasons for deeming each of the six names on the list submitted by (sic) the President as unacceptable. The Acting Chief Justice, in her ruling, said: “The answer is hereby declared to be in the positive – Yes.”
Editor, when the Guyanese people see that President Granger has unilaterally appointed a GECOM Chairman and has ignored the Acting Chief Justice’s ruling – that he should give reasons for rejecting the list of nominees from the Opposition Leader – we are left with much to be worried about.
Cedric Lord

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News