– GECOM chair laments ploys derail LGEs
– sees machinations, designs to stymie work of commission

“THESE are troubling times for elections in Guyana,” Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) (ret’d) Justice James Patterson said on Friday, as he lamented court action taken by the opposition, which, if successful, could delay the holding of the polls.
President David Granger has already stated that LGEs will not be postponed. Patterson was at the time addressing the media at a press conference hosted at the commission’s headquarters, Kingston, where he stated that even at the last lap towards Local Government Elections (LGEs), several intentional obstacles are being placed in the path.
“The commission has been experiencing, at every turn, designs and machinations to stymie the operations coming into force [for the coming election]. Mischief is afoot, internal as well as external. I find that very troubling,” Patterson said.

While the chairman opted not to speak on the external efforts to stall the forthcoming elections, internally, he said that neither commissioners nor staff are excluded from the plot. He stated further that oftentimes private discussions at meetings are disseminated almost immediately afterwards to outside persons.

The chairman also addressed the issue of racism.

He said that money remains the “source of all evil,” as Guyana’s pending oil wealth from its developing petroleum sector has given way to greed and greed to bad judgement. “It is even more sad to see that the default position of our politicians seems to be to play the racial card. It seems too, that integrity has been put in a blind trust. It seems to be our politicians have retreated into ethno-political camps and that has got to stop if this country is to move forward,” Patterson said. He is still confident that the best days of Guyana are ahead and reminded the public that LGEs are critical to local democracy. “I feel sad to have to report to you that since my regime here, it seems to be that integrity has been put in a blind trust. Fortunately, I have a cadre of operatives who don’t yield to that sort of description and they, as the saying goes, ‘hold my hand’,” Patterson said.

He warned: “So, anybody who wants to destabilise its work is tampering with democracy.”
Currently before the High Court is a challenge by GECOM Commissioner Bibi Shadick against the activation of seven new local government areas and the restructuring of 14 others. Also at the High Court is an appeal by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) executive secretary Zulfikar Mustapha on the basis that Patterson’s appointment was “unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect.” Although he noted that persons who are aggrieved should have access to the court, the GECOM chairman also warned against the use of the legal system as a “tool of destruction.” November 12, 2018, has been set as the date for LGEs and the commission is currently working to ensure all criteria are in place for a smooth electoral process.