Dear Editor,
GECOM’s recent appointment of the controversial Melanie Marshall as Voter Registration Manager is mind-boggling, sanctimoniously suspicious, highly questionable, and devoid of a demonstrated pursuit of winning the trust and confidence of our people.
The decision is seemingly hinged on a lack of documented evidence against the myriad complaints and objections reported against the tainted performance of this staffer. This may be linked to the justifiably discard of former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, under whose responsibility the necessary deterring actions should have been taken. The sinister sweep of sensitive and confidential data from GECOM’s computers does not automatically remove the many emboldened wrongdoings of many of the staff members, and therefore these should not be merely swept aside in providing a clean slate.
Critically, it does not require any major research competence in order for one to link the reasons for this seemingly abstract position in the case of Melanie Marshall. Members of Lowenfield’s cabal in GECOM were first emboldened by the biased antics of the unilaterally-appointed CEO James Patterson. Following his ejection by the Caribbean Court of Justice, the key role-players served to fulfill strategic roles in Lowenfield’s sinister plans.
Against this backdrop, the antecedents to her retention present a damning picture.
Therefore, re-employment considerations should not be merely academic qualifications, but rather a much closer look through an absolute interrogation of her previously crooked performance in the various roles. GECOM must so do for all and sundry if the institution is to win the trust of this nation.
Melanie Marshall was officially the Region #4 Returning Officer during the 2015 National and Regional Elections. During the verification process for these elections, she was the person used to introduce the ‘rigging” broadsheet. Notably, the PPPC and other minority parties complained bitterly about the fact that she was not using the statements of poll. To these complaints, she deliberately adjourned the process and committed to a continuation the following day. The rest is history!
In 2015, the introduction of a scandalous ‘broad sheet’ was one of the main reasons for an election petition in the courts, given the role of some GECOM staffers in the rigging that took place. If this petition were heard in a timely manner, the likes of Melanie Marshall would have long become a relic of history.
It must also be noted that, in 2016, the relevant PPPC personnel connected to GECOM vehemently opposed her as the touted Returning Officer in Region #4 for the Local Government Elections. She was subsequently sidelined. In 2018, again the PPPC presented major objections to her selection to function as Returning Officer in Region #4 during the Local Government Elections. She was not appointed to any substantial position in the 2020 National and Regional Elections. It is worth noting that after she was opposed, the controversial Keith Lowenfield, who is before the courts for election fraud, catapulted the ‘Returning Officer’ from Region #5 to the position of Returning Officer in Region #4.
As recent history would confirm, the substitute, Clairmont Mingo, is the one who continued with the ‘rigging broad sheet.’ He was dismissed, and is now also before the court for fraud.
It must be noted that the Presiding Officers in East Coast Demerara, during Election Day on March 02, 2020, committed some unpardonable sins. The Presiding Officers claimed that they were wrongly instructed by GECOM officials. Consequently, the PNC tugs began making all sorts of false allegations of what were and were not in the ballot boxes. The Guyana Election Commission must have a thorough discussion on what took place before and after the 2020 National and Regional Elections.
Most seriously, GECOM must let the nation know what was Melanie Marshall’s role during and after the 2020 Elections. What was her salary? We should know about all the benefits that she was sporting! Reliable sources have confirmed that, with the removal of Lowenfield, all of the perks and some of the other benefits were removed.
As they are saying she was confirmed as the Voter Registration Manager, we need to know when and who appointed her to act as the Voter Registration Manager, and when that position was advertised?
All Guyanese must have a job, but not in GECOM, where questionable characters are no longer permitted.
Sincerely,
Neil Kumar
