— to settle interpretation of Constitution for GECOM nominees

THE current and former Attorney Generals are yet to meet on the appointment of Chairman for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).President David Granger had said the Opposition and the Government will meet on the interpretation of Article 161 (2), which speaks to the nominees for the appointment of the Chairman.
In a statement, the Ministry of the Presidency noted that Attorney General, Basil Williams, who is currently in Trinidad, in an invited comment said the former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, wrote to him in January asking that the meeting be organised any time after January 25.
Given that he was in Jamaica at that time, Minister Williams said he has undertaken to set a date next week for the meeting to happen.

On January 19, President Granger said that the most efficient way to ensure legal clarification on the requirements for the appointment of a Chairman of GECOM would be for legal representatives of the Opposition and the Government to meet to discuss their interpretations of Article 161 (2).
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has nominated Nandlall to meet with Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams.
“I have asked them to meet and see in what ways they can have a common interpretation of the Constitution. In the final analysis, it is a constitutional matter and I felt that the Constitution was quite clear, so if there were any opaqueness or obscurity I hope the meeting between the two attorneys would clarify that so I am anxious to move ahead. It is a constitutional office and my interpretation of the Constitution was quite clear,” President Granger said.
He said a further conversation between himself and the Opposition Leader was unnecessary since the matter is one of constitutionality and two attorneys should clarify.
“I am not saying the person has to be a judge, but if you read the whole article of that Constitution you will see that it intends that the person must possess certain qualities and we are looking for those qualities,” the Head of State noted.