Dear Editor,
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is a constitutional agency governed by Guyana’s Constitution, and enjoys yearly subventions of taxpayers’ funding to the tune of hundreds of millions of Guyana Dollars, or more.
In 2024, GECOM received $3.5 billion of taxpayers’ money for recurrent activity costs; and, more importantly, preparation for General Elections 2025. As with most Government/constitutional agencies, there seems to be a shirking of duties and a lack of established standard operating protocols, which increase the likelihood of decisions being made in what appears to be ad hoc or even partisan fashion.
In the past, GECOM erred egregiously by allowing ineligible members (dual citizens) to sit in, and vote in, Parliament — our highest level of citizenry participation. Not only that, but GECOM allowed political parties to get away with not submitting for review, by the Commission, their campaign financing information as mandated by law – Sections 120-124(ROPA). This continued repudiation of mandatory statutes governing GECOM’s responsibilities has now scandalously manifested itself by GECOM allowing an ineligible member to sit in Parliament and vote on issues of national importance (as explained by GECOM’s legal advisor Mr Kurt Da Silva at a GECOM press conference on November 22, 2024).
It is unambiguously stated in the ROPA ACT, Section 108, subsections 2&3, that “the seats are allocated first (by) using the electoral quota. Then any remaining seats are allocated according to the largest number of votes below that quota”. Based on this interpretation by GECOM’s very own legal officer, the LJP party should have enjoyed the full term, having gotten the most votes in the combination of lists (Joinder). Instead, GECOM and/or their apparatus, by willful negligence, oversight, or blatant disregard for established protocols, allowed Dr. Asha Kissoon, a representative of a party (TNM) other than the LJP, to illegally enter, occupy, and now squat interminably in Parliament, enjoying full benefits (perks and financial) compliments of our hardworking taxpayers who are footing the bill.
To make matters worse, this ineligible member (Dr Asha Kissoon) of the revered House of Representatives now occupies the post of Deputy Speaker, having been nominated and elected with the full and continued support of the governing side, making them as guilty as GECOM. Not only is the administrative arm of GECOM seemingly compromised, but the entire Commission, which has well-respected and experienced legal luminaries on both sides, seems to be complicit, or does not have the intestinal fortitude to “open the Pandora’s Box” in this “Asha Kissoon” blunder in addressing this glaring deficit in administration.
It is also noted, with a tinge of sadness and regret, that GECOM Chair Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh, being an esteemed former Judge herself, was either unaware of the situation, or did not conduct enhanced due diligence thereof, or trusted information presented to her by subordinates. Invariably, however, the buck stops with GECOM Chair Claudette Singh, and this issue would always be associated with her stewardship as Chair of GECOM.
The above is a clear perversity and disinterested spending of taxpayers’ funds. Clearly, GECOM has lost the confidence of the Guyanese population with its poor administration, flouting of its constitutional mandate (on more than one occasion), and inaction in righting these wrongs. To correct these obvious misjudgments and misdemeanors when highlighted, (as was done by Dr. Gerald Forde in requesting an update on his status as Representative of the List of TNM), the Commission and administrative arm have done their best to retard, drag on, and pussyfoot on a simple matter crystallized by the constitution. This amplifies public suspicion that GECOM has hidden agendas and motives, undesirable characteristics for any state agency/body funded by taxpayers.
It is time for all Guyanese to echo ANUG’s call for GECOM to get their act together and perform at the level expected of such a distinguished agency fully upholding their constitutional mandate. Anything less cannot be accepted. With general and regional elections mere months away, the public wants an agency that is free from perceived political bias, one that follows the constitution and operates with full transparency and accountability to the Guyanese people.
Voters, beware!
ANUG
