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Renewal of the contract of Chief Elections Officer Mr Gocool Boodhoo was deferred by a lack of quorum, according to the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Dr. Steve Surujbally, as reported in the SN of 26 June, 2013, titled “no quorum, no decision on Gocool Boodhoo”.
The SN also reported that one of the commissioners will be calling a meeting soon on the issue of Mr Boodhoo’s contract. So who has the responsibility and power to summon GECOM meetings? Can any member do so? What are the insurmountable and compelling reasons why Mr Boodhoo’s contract is not being renewed? A new candidate can prevent local elections being effectively realised. Official reasons have to be given by labour rules for any non-renewal. Who was responsible for the long delay in releasing the 2011 election results? Certainly Mr Boodhoo does not operate in a vacuum from the entire GECOM machinery and staff? It is a stipulated requirement that all final election results be approved by GECOM before they are eventually announced. Mr Boodhoo submitted all the preliminary announcements to GECOM, it was debated, adjusted and certified and then the final declarations were made. Shouldn’t all the commissioners be also fired for the incompetence, if any, which pervaded GECOM in the past? Now what did Mr Boodhoo do wrong? Why is the GECOM staff in the right; all the commissioners are most innocent but Mr Boodhoo is now the only person to be punished? When GECOM fails to renew the contract, is it conceding Mr Boodhoo did something wrong? So what wrongs were committed which exonerates them?
Both the US and UK ambassadors pointedly led the early campaign for local government elections, departing from diplomatic protocol. They also both want homosexuality legalised in Guyana, as is the norm in western countries. That former Speaker Mr Ralph Ramkarran fired the first shot on gay liberation and the subsequent backup by the two powerful envoys came as a surprise. With such backup ‘singers’, one can see he speaks with much clout.
For the 2011 elections, Mr Ramkarran was a major candidate to be the PPP/C presidential candidate for the 2011 elections, the best candidate for the Speaker’s job and the best pick to be the Attorney General in any cabinet reshuffle. He disappointed when he quit the PPP/C, with such a magnificent family legacy. But Mr Ramkarran still cares very much about the PPP/C and all Guyanese, it would seem.
Who else but Mr Ramkarran to pronounce on the legalities of the renewal of the Chief Elections Officer’s contract? Confirmation of any urgency for local government elections is sure to also get back-up support from the Western envoys. Mr Ramkarran is also best positioned to advance the racial balancing of Guyana’s civil service and armed forces as a priority issue. It is an urgency which even he must not allow to be sidelined
Whatever Mr Ramkarran advises with his considerable legal background on the renewal of Mr Boodhoo’s contract would be pivotal. Even by his silence, Mr Ramkarran will confirm whether confidence in him is misplaced or to be celebrated.
The SN also reported that one of the commissioners will be calling a meeting soon on the issue of Mr Boodhoo’s contract. So who has the responsibility and power to summon GECOM meetings? Can any member do so? What are the insurmountable and compelling reasons why Mr Boodhoo’s contract is not being renewed? A new candidate can prevent local elections being effectively realised. Official reasons have to be given by labour rules for any non-renewal. Who was responsible for the long delay in releasing the 2011 election results? Certainly Mr Boodhoo does not operate in a vacuum from the entire GECOM machinery and staff? It is a stipulated requirement that all final election results be approved by GECOM before they are eventually announced. Mr Boodhoo submitted all the preliminary announcements to GECOM, it was debated, adjusted and certified and then the final declarations were made. Shouldn’t all the commissioners be also fired for the incompetence, if any, which pervaded GECOM in the past? Now what did Mr Boodhoo do wrong? Why is the GECOM staff in the right; all the commissioners are most innocent but Mr Boodhoo is now the only person to be punished? When GECOM fails to renew the contract, is it conceding Mr Boodhoo did something wrong? So what wrongs were committed which exonerates them?
Both the US and UK ambassadors pointedly led the early campaign for local government elections, departing from diplomatic protocol. They also both want homosexuality legalised in Guyana, as is the norm in western countries. That former Speaker Mr Ralph Ramkarran fired the first shot on gay liberation and the subsequent backup by the two powerful envoys came as a surprise. With such backup ‘singers’, one can see he speaks with much clout.
For the 2011 elections, Mr Ramkarran was a major candidate to be the PPP/C presidential candidate for the 2011 elections, the best candidate for the Speaker’s job and the best pick to be the Attorney General in any cabinet reshuffle. He disappointed when he quit the PPP/C, with such a magnificent family legacy. But Mr Ramkarran still cares very much about the PPP/C and all Guyanese, it would seem.
Who else but Mr Ramkarran to pronounce on the legalities of the renewal of the Chief Elections Officer’s contract? Confirmation of any urgency for local government elections is sure to also get back-up support from the Western envoys. Mr Ramkarran is also best positioned to advance the racial balancing of Guyana’s civil service and armed forces as a priority issue. It is an urgency which even he must not allow to be sidelined
Whatever Mr Ramkarran advises with his considerable legal background on the renewal of Mr Boodhoo’s contract would be pivotal. Even by his silence, Mr Ramkarran will confirm whether confidence in him is misplaced or to be celebrated.
