RONALD Andy Jacobs, a former Chief Registration Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has not been rehired by the Commission as contended by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).At his weekly press conference at Freedom House on Tuesday, PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee said the party has been reliably informed that Jacobs was reemployed by GECOM. Such a move, Rohee said signals “a dark side” for the Commission, if proven to be true.

“Mr. Jacobs was a former Chief Registration Officer at GECOM prior to the 1992 elections and he was responsible for what I would describe as messing up the voters’ list with a whole host of irregularities contained therein, as a result of which elections had to be postponed, and the Carter Centre had to intervene along with many other stakeholders to have a new voters’ list,” Rohee said as he sought to put issue into context.

According to Rohee, Jacobs’ service was subsequently terminated due to his perceived “incompetence.”

“He was totally incompetent and was not worthy of performing the functions, not only of a Chief Registration Officer but a Chief Elections Officer in those days at GECOM,” the PPP General Secretary added.

Upon learning of the rehiring of Jacobs, Rohee wrote the GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield enquiring about the matter. A letter was also copied to the Chairman of the Commission Dr. Steve Surujbally, who subsequently indicated that Lowenfield is currently on vacational leave and the letter should be directed to the Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Vishnu Persaud.

However, Guyana Chronicle was told by a high ranking official in the Commission that Jacobs was never rehired by the Commission. According to the official, Jacobs was not in the employ of GECOM long before 2001 – more than 15 years ago.