Ethnicity and GECOM

Jun 08, 2018 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
The Guyana Elections Commission is a constitutional commission established by Article 161 of the Constitution. Its functional responsibilities are set out in Article 162. In short, it is the machinery responsible for the conduct of elections, beginning with the registration of electors and concluding with the declaration of results and allocation of seats in the National Assembly.
Article 162 (b) mandates it to discharge its functions with “impartiality” and “fairness”. Indeed, the Commission is composed in such a way to achieve this functional objective of “impartiality” and “fairness”. It comprises 3 Commissioners nominated by the Government and 3 Commissioners nominated by the Political Opposition.
The Chairman is appointed by a unique formula which ensures that such an appointment enjoys the confidence of both the Leader of the Opposition and the President. The rationale is simple: this Chairman is intended to maintain that delicate but fundamental balance in the Commission. Thus, he is empowered with a casting vote.
It is common knowledge that the current Chairman was not appointed in accordance with this formula. He was unilaterally appointed by the President. Expectedly, the appointment precipitated public uproar of dissent. It has been challenged in the Constitutional Court. The decision is set to be handed down today.
The power to appoint important staff to the Secretariat of the Commission resides with the Commission. The political and electoral reality of Guyana is that Guyanese vote, largely, along racial/ethnic lines. Anyone who disputes this reality is unworthy of note and should be ignored.
Against this political and electoral reality, it is a fundamental prerequisite that the staff at GECOM must reflect the face of the Guyanese constituency in order for the electoral machinery to enjoy the confidence of the electorate which is so vital, not only for the integrity of the institution and the electoral process, but also for peace and stability in this land.
Recently, I had cause to dispatch a letter to GECOM’s Secretariat, Main Street, Kingston, Georgetown. The letter was delivered by my driver. Upon his return, his first remark to me was that based on his observation, excepting one female staff, every staff he saw at GECOM was from one ethnic group.
He proceeded to inform me of the electoral ramifications of his observations. Whether he is right or wrong is immaterial. That is the view of an ordinary Guyanese voter. I have no doubt that such view replicates itself thousands of times over across the length and breadth of this land.
GECOM is in the process of hiring senior persons for important positions in the hierarchical structure of the Secretariat. The PPP is in receipt of certain crucial information regarding this process. As a result, Dr. Roger Luncheon was moved to issue a public statement. I endorse, fully, the sentiments expressed by my senior colleague.
This staff recruitment process at GECOM was visited by another unsavory incident. Commissioner Robeson Benn, at another forum, raised the vexed question of the ethnic composition that dominates the staff at the Secretariat of GECOM, as he is entitled to do.
At a meeting of the Commission, the Chairman took issue with Commissioner Benn on his observation and disputes that one ethnic group dominated the staff at the Secretariat.
Speaking for myself, this Chairman is unsuited for the position. I said so the moment he was appointed. Again, I am vindicated. Only the blind will not see that one ethnic grouping preponderates the staffing at GECOM Secretariat.
I simply refuse to believe that only one ethnic group is applying for jobs at that institution. I know of dozens of persons from one ethnic group, duly qualified, who have applied for advertised positions at the Secretariat but were unsuccessful.
Back to the Chairman. As a result of the interaction between the Chairman and Commissioner Benn, the Chairman prohibited Benn from participating in the remainder of the meeting. This caused the PPP Commissioners to walk out. One is not sure for how long this prohibition will last. Crucial decisions regarding impending Local Government Elections have to be made by GECOM over the next few weeks. If one Commissioner cannot contribute, the pivotal balance in the Commission is lost.
In any event, as I pointed out above, the ethnic composition of GECOM staff must at all times be a fundamentally material consideration for discussion. It is deplorable for the Chairman to guillotine a discussion of this matter.
Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP
Attorney-at-Law

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