Latest update December 25th, 2024 1:10 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Despite Harmon’s ultimatum, the Coalition has no direct say in the running of GECOM

Jun 05, 2020 Letters

Dear Editor,

Today (4th June, 2020), I listened to a press conference with Joseph Harmon where he was asked at the end how confident is the Coalition that GECOM will address the (alleged but unproven) irregularities which the APNU-AFC has claimed; Harmon responded that they are demanding that GECOM address them by tomorrow (Friday 5th June, 2020) and that if GECOM does not address their demands then they “will go and meet with them and insist that our demands are met.” Effectively, Harmon is saying that if they do not get what they want, they will go and pay GECOM a visit and see that it happens. Well, for a government and political outfit, which constantly maintains that they have not interfered with the electoral process or with GECOM, this sounds very much as an attempt or possibly a threat to do exactly that. Since Harmon may have forgotten despite their constant chorus, GECOM is an autonomous Constitutional Commission which is not subject to the demands of any political party let alone the “insistence” thereof even in circumstances where there is an attempt to strong-arm demands by unwarranted or unsolicited “visits”. In fact, I would invite Harmon to read Art. 161B of the Constitution, which specifically prohibits the role of political parties and their nominees in the management of the electoral process. Fortunately for Harmon and the Coalition, there is an avenue to address their alleged but unproven irregularities and that is through an elections petition after a declaration of a winner is made which, incidentally, GECOM is required to do (See Art 177 where GECOM is required to declare a winner even when there is a tie). This is, in fact, the only legally prescribed avenue to address any of those alleged but unproven allegations (See Art. 163 of the Constitution and S.140 of the Representation of the People Act CAP 1:03). GECOM knows this and since Harmon is an Attorney-at-Law, I am sure he knows this as well. Nonetheless, should the Coalition require any further elucidation on the point, I would direct their attention to the recent Court of Appeal decision in the Ulita Moore matter in which their political acolyte would have appeared.

Yours truly,
Charles Ramson

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

The wait is over, all roads lead to KMTC for their Grand Boxing Day Horse race meet

The wait is over, all roads lead to KMTC for their Grand Boxing Day...

Dec 25, 2024

Over 70 entries in as $7M in prizes at stake  By Samuel Whyte Kaieteur Sports- The time has come and the wait is over and its gallop time as the biggest event for the year-end season is set for the...
Read More
Xhiya Hercules – flipping the script towards Gymnastics history for Guyana

Xhiya Hercules – flipping the script towards...

Dec 25, 2024

Road Warriors, Bent Street, Team Cruel & Gold Is Money into quarter-finals

Road Warriors, Bent Street, Team Cruel &...

Dec 25, 2024

Deol maiden hundred outshines Matthews’ as India take series

Deol maiden hundred outshines Matthews’ as...

Dec 25, 2024

Moraikobai village two days football competition and fun day set for Old and New Year’s Day

Moraikobai village two days football competition...

Dec 25, 2024

BCB thanks cricket fraternity for strong support in 2024

BCB thanks cricket fraternity for strong support...

Dec 25, 2024

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]