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Granger meets with GECOM – Assures respect for its independence
The President and several Ministers of Cabinet met with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday at the Ministry of the Presidency.
The President and several Ministers in their meeting with GECOM
Chairman of GECOM, Justice Claudette Singh, and Commissioners
President Granger was accompanied by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo; Minister of Public Security and Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams; Minister of State, Dawn Hastings-Williams; Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally; Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman and Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon.
Justice Claudette Singh, SC, CCH, was accompanied by Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield and Commissioners, Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin, Desmond Trotman, Sase Gunraj, Robeson Benn and Bibi Shadick.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference after the meeting, the President said “We addressed the topic of General and Regional Elections, which is a concern of every Guyanese at present. I wanted the opportunity to welcome the Chairman to a first meeting after her selection.”
He said that it was a cordial and consensual process, in accordance with the advice of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), that deliberations at this juncture must be consensual, and not unilateralism.
The President congratulated the new chair on her appointment. He said that she has received widespread approbation from the general public.
Granger continued: “Although it is early in the tenure of the new Chairman, I do think it was appropriate to meet at this time, to give her the assurance that Government will continue to observe the independence of the Election Commission. It will not dictate. It will not interfere. It will not intrude in the work of the Commission. It will observe all the roles and responsibilities of the commission, given to it by the Constitution.”
The Chairman did in fact commit to meeting with the full commission on August 15, 2019, and that she will thereafter communicate the position of the Commission to the President, Granger said.
The Ministry of the Presidency’s Director General, Joseph Harmon, said that it is important to note that the Government will continue to provide all the support needed by the Commission for it to execute its mandate.
He said “Additionally, the President made it clear that we were interested in early elections and credible elections, and that the Government will not dictate in any way, to the commission, how they will do their work.”
Granger reminded of the challenge to House to House Registration currently in the Courts, as Attorney-at-Law Christopher Ram has asked the Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire to approve a Conservatory Order bringing the process to a halt.
“Right now… the Government is respectful of the role of the Elections Commission and once I receive advice from the Chairman of the Commission. I will act on that advice…We are not in the business of giving any direction to the Commission.”
Asked whether Government will respect the ruling of the Chief Justice if it’s not in favour of House to House Registration, the President said “We are ready to pursue any legal action that we feel would lead to a favourable outcome to have credible elections in Guyana. Our concern is for credible elections.”
Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, on July 26, 2019, said at a press conference of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) that the legal challenge to the House to House exercise could end up all the way at the CCJ, since a decision by one Court could be appealed to the higher one.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has deemed this a delaying tactic.
The President will meet with the Opposition at 14:00 hrs today.
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