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Jagdeo to call on int’l community to sanction GECOM APNU commissioners.
By Abena Rockcliffe-Campbell
If it were up to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) Commissioners, Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman would be issued travel bans and their bank accounts would be frozen.
Alexander, Corbin and Trotman all serve the interest of A Partnership of National Unity (APNU) on GECOM.
GECOM (APNU) Commissioner, Vincent Alexander
Yesterday, in the midst of his weekly press conference, Jagdeo expressed displeasure with the actions of those commissioners on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the Commissioners, and GECOM Chairman, retired Justice James Patterson, voted on three motions that PPP Commissioners were against.
The three motions resolved to inform President David Granger that GECOM cannot be ready for elections within the 90 days mandated by the constitution in the event of a no-confidence motion; inform him that GECOM does not have money to host General and Regional Elections and declare that GECOM Secretariat will continue with its work programme for 2019.
The motions were in the name of Commissioner Corbin. Yesterday, Jagdeo stressed that the commissioners were out of order.
GECOM (APNU) Commissioner, Desmond Trotman
He said that the PPP will be seeking international sanctions against the commissioners
Jagdeo said, “We believe they received instructions from Government and apart from that, many of them have pecuniary interests that would be threatened by early elections. Their political role at GECOM is to delay elections.
“They are in breach of their statutory duties and responsibilities as GECOM Commissioners and are in breach of the Constitution…they have to invent all sort of excuses as to why they can’t move forward…”
Jagdeo said that GECOM did not even bother to give a timeline as to when it can be ready.
GECOM (APNU) Commissioner, Charles Corbin
“Clearly this is untenable and we will not sit idly by and allow GECOM to subvert the Constitution to its will. It is a creature and it must act accordingly. We have seen in other parts of the world how politically aligned elections commission are dealt with by the international community.”
Jagdeo was asked what sort of sanctions he is hoping will be instituted, he responded, “We have seen sanctions of various kinds done by the international community on organizations, government or personal actions…I am more in favor of personal sanctions because when you sanction a country the people all suffer.”
Jagdeo said he will be comfortable if the commissioners are banned from travelling to certain international jurisdictions and their bank accounts are frozen.
Jagdeo said, too, that he will be seeking sanctions against the Executive when it becomes illegal after the March 19 deadline.
He said, “I am meeting with the international community next week. I meet with them routinely.”
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