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Carol Joseph sacked as Opposition chief scrutineer
(Kaieteur News) – Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed has terminated the appointment of PNCR member Carol Smith-Joseph as Chief Scrutineer for the Opposition with immediate effect, citing a “broader review” of the office’s appointments.
PNCR Member, Carol Smith-Joseph
The decision, communicated via a letter dated April 8, 2026, has prompted an immediate legal and political challenge from Member of Parliament and Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd, who questioned the statutory authority behind the dismissal.
In the correspondence, Mohamed informed Smith-Joseph that her role, originally an appointment made under the leadership of Aubrey Norton, was revoked as part of a restructuring exercise. “I write in my capacity as the Leader of the Opposition to formally advise you that your appointment as Chief Scrutineer for the Opposition, which was made by then Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, is hereby terminated with immediate effect,” the letter stated.
Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed
The document further clarified the rationale for the dismissal: “This decision has been taken as part of a broader review and reconstitution of appointments made under the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.”
Mohamed directed Smith-Joseph to “cease performing any functions, duties, or responsibilities associated with the position” and expressed gratitude for her service during her tenure.
The move was met with swift condemnation from Todd, who argued that the Leader of the Opposition does not possess the legal power to terminate a position tied to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) framework. In a statement posted to his Facebook page, Todd called for GECOM’s immediate intervention to clarify the law. “GECOM must speak, the Leader of the Opposition is surely misinformed and misled,” Todd wrote. “This is not an appointment by law that a leader of the opposition can make, therefore how can you terminate. Is leader now an employee of GECOM?” Efforts made to contact GECOM CEO Vishnu Persaud, proved futile.
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