…demand election-related work put on hold

EVEN after Friday’s Court of Appeal ruling that the no-confidence motion against the government was not validly passed, opposition-nominated commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are still pushing for the commission to move forward with elections preparations.

At Tuesday’s statutory meeting, the opposition-nominated commissioners staged yet another walkout when there were attempts to discuss the progress of the secretariat’s approved 2019 work plan.

The work plan includes the conducting of house-to-house registration for which some $3B had been allocated prior to the no-confidence matter. Following the commission’s approval by majority vote in February to procced with the work plan, advertisements were posted in the media regarding vacancies for personnel to conduct house-to-house registration.

These included the positions for Assistant Registration Officers (AROs) and enumerators. Commissioner Charles Corbin told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday that when enquiries were made to the secretariat about the responses received in this regard, such did not sit well with the opposition-nominated commissioners.

“We were trying to find out what progress had been made; how many persons had applied; what is the response and one commissioner requested to note that all activities related to that should cease,” Corbin said. He explained that the commissioners demanded that the activities be halted until the final ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) regarding the no-confidence motion.

Their views run similar to the newest position of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo who, following the Appellate Court’s ruling, announced that the opposition would be boycotting all parliamentary sessions pending the CCJ ruling. At this point in time, it is unknown by the newspaper how soon the ruling willing will take place.

Nonetheless, the opposition’s current stance differs from the position expressed just days ago when it pushed for the government to swiftly act on the High Court’s ruling by holding elections before April 30, 2019.

Even as the matter made its way through the Appeal Court, the opposition staged a country-wide protest last Friday deeming the government as “unconstitutional” for GECOM’s inability to hold elections before November 2019.
Hours later, the Appeal Court had over-ruled the High Court’s decision causing the opposition to reposition itself to await a final decision from CCJ. Regarding Tuesday’s fallout at GECOM, Corbin said: “According to one comment, the secretariat should do nothing until then [the CCJ’s ruling] other than prepare for elections.”

The two major plans of the commission for 2019 were to produce an electoral list with a qualifying date of April 30, 2019 and available from May 1, 2019 and to complete the house-to-house registration exercise to result in a qualifying date of October 31, 2019 and available from November 1, 2019.

In a letter to the President dated March 19, 2019, GECOM Chairman Justice (Ret’d) James Patterson had made it clear that it would be a “logistical impossibility” to produce a list with a qualifying date of April 30, 2019. Therefore, the next possible list is available only with a qualifying date of October 31, 2019 which is to be arrived at through house-to-house registration.

Despite the fallout and since the commission’s February agreement, the commission has steadily been moving forward with its efforts towards house-to-house registration.
On Saturday and Sunday, GECOM commenced training of some 100 core trainers who will eventually be qualified to conduct the training of AROs and enumerators.

Following Tuesday’s statutory meeting, it was noted that the first round of training of enumerators will commence in Georgetown on March 30 and 31. Meanwhile, regarding the political situation, the commission will be meeting with representatives of the Commonwealth Secretariat on Thursday at 13:00hrs.