As the deliberations continue between Government and the Opposition over the appointment of a Chairman for the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM), Minister of State Joseph Harmon suggested that citizens give the two parties an opportunity to decide what is really “fit and proper”.
Harmon was responding to queries about the state of affairs regarding the meeting
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and President David Granger during a previous meeting. Also in photo are former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Attorney General Basil Williams
between Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and President David Granger.
The two are set to meet on Monday.
Harmon said the consultation between the President and the Opposition Leader is not premised on any consideration other than their own deliberate judgement. He said the High Court deliberation is for an interpretation to be given to what is fit and proper; an interpretation which is seeking to say that the President has to act in a certain way.
“There is nothing in the law that seeks to fetter the discretion of the President in these matters, that the law requires the President to consult with the Leader of the Opposition and that consultation has been extensive. The President has said that he is prepared to sit with the Opposition Leader and work with him until we have such time that they have a person that is fit and proper for the role of Chairman.”
Harmon said the President and Opposition Leader should be given an opportunity to explore. “As citizens, I think we should give these two gentlemen the opportunity to explore all of the possibilities for them to find a person for that job”.
He said the President is acting within the confines of the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land.
The Opposition Leader on Thursday said he will be meeting with the Head of State.
He said despite his disagreement with the President’s decision, the offer to meet must be taken at face value as an attempt at a collaborative approach in solving the problem.
The Opposition Leader also rejected recent speculations published in the public domain purportedly sourced to him as positions adopted in light of the President’s refusal of his nominees.
According to Jagdeo, “I do not conduct negotiations or discussion of a critical nature in the media… Nor will I telegraph my position.”
The former President prefaced his remarks to the media by openly rejecting the interpretation offered by President Granger. According to Jagdeo, “I totally disagree with the President’s interpretation.”
Granger in his rejection of the list said all of the persons did not meet with the criteria as set out in the Constitution.
Those on the second rejected list by Head of State Granger are retired Justice of Appeal BS Roy; retired Justice William Ramlall; Attorney and former Magistrate, Oneidge Walrond-Allicock; Attorneys Kashir Khan and Nadia Sagar; and businessman, Gerald Gouveia.
Granger, in his rejection letter to Jagdeo on Friday last said, “I have examined the Curriculum Vitae of the six persons in light of the criteria defined in my letter to you… I have found the list to be unacceptable within the meaning of the Constitution and of those criteria.”
