A MEETING of the Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) today is expected to see a final decision being made in the matter of who will Certificates of Employment be issued to.The disclosure was made by GECOM Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally, who, in an invited comment, said, “The Chief Justice failed to solve the impasse.”
The issuance of Certificates of Employment, which would allow voting by its holders outside of where they are registered, was raised as a concern by the political Opposition, which contends that the certificates should be issued to a wider class.
As such, an originating summons was filed by Senior Counsel Ashton Chase last Monday.
According to Dr. Surujbally, Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang invited other concerned stakeholders to make their case in the matter, but in the end Chang determined that the final decision should be made by GECOM.
The Commission’s legal officer, Ms. Juanita Barker, in an earlier comment, told the Guyana Chronicle that the court was approached for a definitive pronouncement, given the call for the certificates to be issued to a wide cross-section of E-Day staffers.
She said, “We are seeking an interpretation of article 162:1B of the Representation of the People’s Act. It would determine whether GECOM has authority to issue Certificates of Employment outside of what is stated in the law.
Currently, the law states that Certificates of Employment can be issued to election officials only – meaning the Chief Elections Officer, the Deputy Chief Elections Officer, the Returning Officers, the Deputy Returning Officers, Election Clerks, Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers and poll clerks. Members of the disciplined services who are working on Election Day are also issued with Certificates of Employment.
MOVE DEFENDED
Additionally, the GECOM Chairman yesterday defended the move to the courts after questions were raised by the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) General Secretary, Clement Rohee.
Speaking at a news conference held at Freedom House yesterday, he said, “The PPP is shocked at the about turn by GECOM as regards the issuance of Certificate of Employment to polling agents.
“The Constitution clearly states that only GECOM polling day staff can be allowed to vote by way of Certificate of Employment and not polling agents representing their respective parties. Surprisingly, GECOM still persists on having a court ruling on this issue. It is the Party’s view that GECOM has become very reactive and has “given in” to all of the Opposition’s demands and declarations.”
Dr. Surujbally maintained that the Commission decided to go the “route of the law” to ensure that the Commission has a legally binding position on the matter of issuance of Certificates of Employment.
“By the advice of all the Commissioners and our legal advisor, Ms. Wanita, we went to the Chief Justice,” he stressed. (Vanessa Narine)