Granger requests 2nd list of nominees from Opposition Leader

One day after publicly rejecting the first list of nominees for the Chairmanship of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), President David Granger formally indicated to Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo his dissatisfaction with the first batch and requested that a new list of persons be submitted.
In his correspondence to the Office of the Opposition Leader on Monday, the Head of State contended that the six nominees were “unacceptable within the meaning of the Constitution”.
The President told media operatives during the Annual Media Brunch on Sunday morning that the nominees, in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana, ought to be a judge or possess qualifications which would make them eligible to become one.
He contended that the nominees submitted by Jagdeo do not meet those requirements and were, therefore, unacceptable – an assertion that was wholly dismissed by concerned stakeholders.
Granger has rejected this list of nominees on the grounds that the individuals lack a legal background even though in 1997, he accepted the nomination to be GECOM Chairman by then Opposition Leader Desmond Hoyte despite lacking the qualifications he is now seeking in a new Chairperson.
The nominees submitted by Jagdeo are: Executive Member of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramesh Dookhoo; former PSC Chairman and Army Chief Norman Mc Lean; Chartered Accountant and former Head of the Bar Association, Christopher Ram; writer Rhyaan Shah; Professor James Rose and human rights and conflict resolution consultant Lawrence Latchmansingh.
Article 161 of the Constitution of Guyana indeed outlines that the nominees must be a judge or have the qualifications of a judge, but it also states that the nominee can be any person deemed “fit and proper”.

The extract reads, “The Chairman of the Elections Commission shall be a person who holds or who has held office as a judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court or who is qualified to be appointed as any such judge, or any other fit and proper person, to be appointed by the President from a list of six persons, not unacceptable to the President, submitted by the Leader of the Opposition after meaningful consultation with the non-governmental political parties represented in the National Assembly.”

Previous Chairmen
The majority of the previous Chairmen of GECOM lacked legal qualifications and, therefore, would have all qualified under the “fit and proper” requirement.
In fact, of all the persons who were appointed as Chairman of GECOM, only the late Doodnauth Singh, former Attorney General and Senior Counsel, satisfied the category of being a judge or having the requisite qualifications to be one.
All the other persons – Rudy Collins, Edward Hopkinson, Joseph Singh and Dr Steve Surujbally – lacked legal qualifications.
Meanwhile, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall believes that the President’s announcement is a signal of the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition’s intention to rig the next General and Regional Elections in 2020.
“The President is playing a dangerous game… I believe these machinations will continue until the President conjures up an interpretation of the Constitution which permits him to unilaterally appoint a Chairman of GECOM,” he expressed.
Former Government Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy said the President’s rejection was an attempt to seize power through a coup.
Additionally, Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) General Secretary Lincoln Lewis disagreed with President Granger’s assertion, highlighting that the Constitution indeed provides for suitable persons outside the realm of judges or those qualified to be judges to be appointed as GECOM Chairman.
The Opposition Leader will be responding to the President’s request today.