Former Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Justice James Patterson, who was appointed by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change, passed away on Saturday at his Century Palm, D’Urban Park, Georgetown home.
He was 89. Justice Patterson was appointed as GECOM Chair on October 19, 2017.
At the time, President Granger had rejected three lists submitted by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo. These lists comprised a total of 18 names of former Judges, persons eligible to be judges and prominent members of civil society.
Former Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Justice James Patterson
The list of nominees had included anti-corruption advocate Christopher Ram, current Bar Association President Teni Housty, former GECOM Chairman, Retired Major General Joe Singh; Justice of Appeal BS Roy (ret’d), Justice William Ramlall (ret’d), Oneidge Walrond-Allicock, Attorney-at-Law and a former Magistrate, Kashir Khan; Attorney-at-Law Nadia Sagar and Gerald Gouveia.
People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Executive Secretary Zulfikar Mustapha had challenged the appointment but Justice Roxane George had ruled that the Constitution of Guyana allows for the President to unilaterally appoint someone to fill the position of GECOM Chair.
The PPP had then approached the Appeal Court to reverse the June 2018 High Court ruling but Justice Gregory and Justice Rishi Persaud upheld the acting Chief Justice’s ruling.
The PPP then approached Guyana’s Highest Court, the Caribbean Court of Justice to challenge the Appeal Court ruling. The case was heard by the CCJ on May 8 and one month later, it ruled that the appointment of Retired Justice James Patterson as Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman was flawed and unconstitutional.
