OPPOSITION Leader Bharrat Jagdeo says he is willing to submit a third list of nominees for the position of chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and has accepted an invitation to meet with President David Granger again on Monday to discuss the issue.

President Granger recently rejected a second list of nominees for the chairmanship of GECOM, deeming it unacceptable. The second list comprised retired justices BS Roy and William Ramlal, attorneys Oneidge Walrond-Allicock, Nadia Sagar and Kashir Khan and businessman Gerry Gouveia.

The first list comprised chartered accountant Christopher Ram, governance specialist Lawrence Lachmansingh, business executives Ramesh Dookhoo and Norman McLean, author Ryhaan Shah and historian, Professor James Rose.

At a press conference hosted at his Church Street office on Thursday, Jagdeo said he disagrees with the President’s interpretation of the Constitution for the appointment of GECOM chair. “I think all those people are fit and proper and suitably qualified to be appointed chairman of GECOM. I was also concerned that with the letter the President sent to us, he had not indicated what the next steps are,” Jagdeo said.

He said that there have been a lot of speculations about what can or would happen in the meeting. “I’ve seen various letters and articles in different parts of the media. But, I have not discussed with anyone what my positions will be in the meetings,” Jagdeo said, adding: “I do not conduct discussions or negotiations of a critical and sensitive nature in the media, or will I telegraph my position long before the meeting.”

Jagdeo speculated that there can be three possibilities that can occur in the meeting with the President. Firstly, he said the President can request more names and based on the Constitution, the opposition leader must comply. Secondly, the President can make a pronouncement on someone of his choice, “which would be unlawful and unconstitutional.” Thirdly, the matter can be discussed based on the President’s criteria, since there appears to be difficulties finding a suitable person and the exploration of various possibilities based on impartiality.

Jagdeo also noted that Chief Justice, Roxanne George-Wiltshire, was expected to offer her interpretation on Monday on GECOM’s criteria for nominees, but has instead set the next court date for June 16, 2017, to allow lawyers for the State to study latest submissions made by businessman Marcel Gaskin’s lawyer, Glen Hanoman.

Gaskin wants the High Court to declare whether the list of nominees to be submitted by the opposition leader must include a judge, a retired judge or a person qualified to be a judge. Jagdeo said whatever decision is made it will inevitably affect the process of choosing a nominee for the GECOM chairmanship.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Bar association in a statement Thursday expressed concern about the appointment of a GECOM chairman. “It is of paramount importance that this constitutional office be urgently filled, since the position has been vacant since November 2016,” the Bar Association noted in a press statement. The association added: “It is the considered view of that Bar Council that the power created by Article 161(2) of the Constitution to decide the selection or non-selection of a person for appointment is a public law power, subject to the standards applicable to judicial review of such power.” Further, the association acknowledged that the matter is before the chief justice for interpretation, but expressed optimism that the meeting between the opposition leader and the President will lead to a speedy resolution of the matter which is of urgent national importance.