GECOM hopes to have “comprehensive” report on reform election laws

May 09, 2022 News

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…discussions confirmed for Tuesday

Kaieteur News – The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is hoping to have discussions that would enable the agency to put forward a “comprehensive” report highlighting the views of all involved regarding the proposed amendments to the Representation of the Peoples Act (RoPA). GECOM’s Chairwoman, Justice Claudette Singh told the Kaieteur News on Sunday that the matter is back on the Commission’s agenda and should be up for discussion come Tuesday.
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo had said during a recent press conference that the government intended to have a six-week period for comments on RoPA, but the process is still ongoing. He said that the most “substantive” comments came from the GECOM and a civil society body called the Electoral Reform Group (ERG). Opposition Commissioner, Vincent Alexander in response to the Vice President’s statement, highlighted that GECOM was yet to meet and discuss the contributions of the Commissioners and others involved. He said that while it was stated that the most “substantive” number of views came from GECOM, the body had no discussions that would allow for any contributions to be delivered as a collective.
Justice Singh told the newspaper that discussions of the RoPA had been on the Commission’s agenda before, “but something always comes up” before they could get to the matter. She said that contributions were made by some commissioners. When asked whether those contributions were delivered to the government, she responded in the negative, since the Commission had not gotten a chance to discuss the information. Justice Singh said that information had been sent to everybody by the government for comments and input. She said it was her belief however, that the first thing that would have been addressed was the putting together of several amendment election laws into the relevant Act so it would become one comprehensive document. She noted however that the Tuesday meeting is open to discussing the general comments contributed by the Commissioners and relevant officers.
People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Commissioner, Bibi Shadick told the Kaieteur News that she was unaware of any discussion proposed in the Tuesday agenda. She confirmed providing her contributions on the amended RoPA. She told the newspaper that the Commission “took so long to get its act together,” that she submitted her contribution to the government. She did not wish to offer her views on whether she thought it was important for the Commission to discussion the contributions and deliver the information and a collective. She noted instead, that she personally saw the matter as being important and thus made her submissions “as a citizen on Guyana”.
Alexander told the newspaper that he, as well as opposition commissioners, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman made initial contributions to the GECOM commission and requested that the contributions be discussed at the level of the Commission, but that had not been done. He said that even the agency’s legal officer had put forward contributions, but the commission has not looked at those either.
In a public letter, Alexander said that Jagdeo ventured outside of his realm to report that the government had received “the most ‘substantive’ number of comments from GECOM. “This is gross misinformation,” Alexander claimed. He said GECOM had received the circular, about the reform, long after it had been made public and reported on in the press.
He said that, “GECOM has had no discussion on the substance of any reform and therefore it cannot be claimed that any submission is a product of the Commission. One commissioner has indicated that she made her personal submission to the Government and sees no need to be party to any such discussion, in GECOM,” he reported. Alexander continued that other commissioners have ventured no comment, in GECOM while others have made preliminary submissions in anticipation of, and to facilitate the start of an internal discussion.
Alexander told the newspaper that given the nature of GECOM he is not concerned about a uniformed position regarding the matter. He noted however, that the internal discussion would allow for GECOM to have a comprehensive document highlighting among other things common and minority views.
Vice President Jagdeo had told the media that Minister Teixeira and Attorney General Anil Nandlall were instructed to assemble a team that would meet with both ERG and GECOM to discuss the legislation. The VP expressed hope that the Opposition would participate once the bill is brought to the National Assembly. He said that while they have been calling for comprehensive electoral reforms, they have not submitted comments on RoPA draft amendments.

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