-Opposition Leader hopeful

FORMER Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Major General (Ret’d), Joseph Singh is among the six nominees for the position of Chairperson of the electoral body submitted by Opposition Leader, Bharat Jagdeo, in his third list to President David

Granger.

Singh, who was nominated by then Leader of the Opposition, Desmond Hoyte, in 2000, served at the helm of the Commission for approximately one year before resigning, making way for Dr Steve Surujbally in 2001.
Also included on the list are: former president of the Guyana Bar Association, Teni Housty; Attorney-at-Law, Sanjeev Datadin; Former Pilot and Environmentalist, Annette Arjoon-Martins; Pastor and Agriculturalist, Onesi La Fleur and Former Magistrate, Krishendat Persaud.

The specialities of the nominees were highlighted by Jagdeo in a press statement, which stated that Housty and Datadin are attorneys-at-law with over 10 years of good standing at the Guyana Bar and both of whom are qualified to be appointed as judges of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in Guyana in accordance with the

Constitution of Guyana.

Persaud was described as an attorney-at-law with over 40 years of good standing and a former magistrate who served in that capacity for over 20 years, while Arjoon was identified as a business person in the local airline industry who has received national and international acclaim for her work in protecting Guyana’s biodiversity. La Fleur, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, has been hailed as someone who has made a sterling contribution to Guyana and the Caribbean in the area of education and religion.

In March this year , the President had pointed out that Article 161 (2) of the Constitution of Guyana states that “Subject to the provisions of paragraph (4), the Chairman of the Elections Commission shall be a person who holds or who has held office as a judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth, or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court or who is qualified to be appointed as any such

judge, or any other fit and proper person…”

Businessman Marcel Gaskin had, however, approached the High Court to interpret the article which resulted in Chief Justice George-Wiltshire confirming that the President acting on his own deliberate judgment must determine whether a person is ‘fit and proper.’
In her ruling, she advised that there is no legal requirement for the President to state reasons for rejecting a list, though it is her belief that in the furtherance of democracy and good governance, he should, since Article 161 (2) speaks to the need for dialogue and compromise.

Despite having two lists rejected by the President, Jagdeo expressed confidence in his new list at a press conference on Friday at his office. The Opposition Leader said it is his expectation that the President will select a Chairman from this list, especially now that they have the written judgment of the Chief Justice on this matter.

When asked what action will be taken if the third list is rejected, the Opposition Leader said on June 12, 2017, during a “high-level” meeting with the officials of the Government, it was agreed that a high-level Exploratory Committee be established and activated by the Government.