Latest update October 6th, 2026 10:30 AM
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Two weeks before elections GECOM still looking for legal officer
…applications received in first round unsatisfactory
GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander
Kaieteur News – With just two weeks left before the September 1 General and Regional Elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has reopened applications for the post of legal officer.
The commission has also reopened the position for public relations (PR) assistant, citing an unsatisfactory response from the initial round of applicants.
On Wednesday, GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander confirmed that applications were received from the first round of advertisements for both the legal officer and PR assistant positions. However, he noted that the commission decided to re-advertise.
The initial vacancy notice invited suitably qualified candidates to submit their applications by August 7, 2025.
“Three applicants were received for each position. Some members felt that the field of applicants was too small and that there were no outstanding candidates,” Alexander explained. “I differed. I was prepared to process those who applied or forego the process since there is little time left to recruit and, more importantly, deploy them before elections, as is the intended objective,” Alexander stated.
The advertisements have since been republished in the local newspapers. According to the vacancy notice, the legal officer will report directly to the commission through the Office of the Chairperson and will be responsible for ensuring all legal and statutory requirements are met for registration and elections. The officer will also serve as Secretary to the Commission.
The delay in appointing a legal officer comes at a critical time for GECOM, especially with the elections drawing near.
The commission has been without a legal officer since March 3, 2025, when attorney Kurt Da Silva’s contract expired. Da Silva, who had served as GECOM’s legal officer for three years, stated that his contract was due for renewal and that he had received an exemplary performance appraisal from the Chairperson, along with a recommendation for renewal.
However, the government-nominated commissioners voted against the renewal, a position supported by GECOM Chairperson Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh. Their rationale centered on Da Silva’s written submissions in the Carol Smith-Joseph v. Attorney General, Commissioner of Registration & GECOM case, which they claimed contradicted instructions from the commission.
Da Silva has since publicly disputed this claim, asserting that his submissions were circulated in advance to the Chairperson, Chief Elections Officer (CEO), and all commissioners. In a detailed letter to Justice Singh, he described the Commission’s press release on the matter as “replete with false and misleading statements” regarding his legal work and professional conduct. As a result, Da Silva has filed a defamation lawsuit against GECOM, seeking damages, including aggravated or exemplary damages, over statements made in the press release titled “Non-Renewal of the Employment Contract of GECOM’s Legal Officer.”
Meanwhile, GECOM has faced additional scrutiny over the reported involvement of Attorney General Anil Nandlall in providing legal advice to the commission. Several political party leaders, including those from the Alliance For Change (AFC), have raised concerns about what they describe as a conflict of interest.
In a letter to the Chairperson, AFC’s leader Nigel Hughes expressed unease over Nandlall’s dual role as both Attorney General and legal advisor to GECOM, questioning the commission’s independence. A subsequent AFC press release echoed this sentiment, alleging that Nandlall’s involvement undermines public trust in the electoral body.
With the general and regional elections fast approaching, the commission urgently requires a Legal Officer to provide legal guidance and support to election authorities, ensuring that the electoral process complies with established legal frameworks and best practices.
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