Acting Chief Justice Ian Change has given the green light to the elections petition brought by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), allowing the matter to go to trial-a ruling described a lawyer as “wrong and flawed.” Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield through his attorney Roysdale Forde had sought to block the summoned filed by the PPP through its agent Ganga Persaud.
The PPP had argued the Validity of Elections Act allows it to access additional information held by GECOM, and as such the court does not have the power to quash the petition on the contentions advanced by Forde.
Forde had submitted that the challenge brought by the PPP is baseless as it void of any material facts and sufficient grounds to allow the matter to go to trial.
Justice Chang on Friday ruled that there are sufficient grounds for the matter to go ahead, and in accordance with Article 163 of the Constitution, the court does not have jurisdiction to quash the petition. Forde in a brief comment told the Guyana Chronicle that the decision of the outgoing acting Chief Justice is “wrong” and “flawed”. Persaud had in July last year filed the petition on behalf of the PPP/C List of Candidates. Among other things, notwithstanding there was international acclamation that the May 11 election was free and fair, he had asked the court to find that contrary is the case