CHAIRMAN of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Gerald ‘Gerry’ Gouveia, is being accused of having an “obsession” with taking any stance which would give his “preferred political party” a chance at power.

The observation came from Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioner, Desmond Trotman, who stated on Wednesday that Gouveia’s position on the current political situation is financially motivated. Earlier in the week, Gouveia had called on GECOM’s Chief Election Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, to “immediately suspend” the ongoing house-to-house registration exercise” deeming it as “unlawful”.

He called on the CEO to ensure that GECOM “prepare itself for holding General and Regional Elections within the timeframe prescribed by the Caribbean Court of Justice.”
Contrary to his remarks, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has not prescribed a fixed time for the Commission to hold elections. In fact, it is publicly known that the Court’s Consequential Orders stated that it had no authority to set a timeline or date for the holding of elections; only the President, the National Assembly and GECOM, in their respective roles, can do so.

On Monday, Lowenfield responded to the PSC Chair informing him of the same and assured that house-to-house registration will continue in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, Trotman’s recent response highlights other contentions found with Gouveia’s statement which he said is laced with “inaccuracies” and an “obsession” with ousting the current Administration.

Much aligned with the push of the Opposition, Gouveia had defended the National Register of Registrants Database (NRRD) as fit to be used in the coming elections, had pushed for a Claims and Objections period in place of the national exercise and had claimed that the Commission was not adhering to the advice of its Legal Counsel, the latter being since debunked by the CEO. “I believe it will help if the PSC adopts a posture that recognizes the obligation of all the players on the field to ensure that the right thing is done for Guyana,” Trotman began.

“At this time you are signalling your obsession with ensuring that the Granger administration falls and is replaced by your preferred political party. People are not taking you seriously. They see you and others in the PSC as close confidants of Jagdeo with no interest other than the extent to which you can financially benefit from the PPP/C being in office. Go on the streets and ask the populace how they see you; they will confirm what I have said.”

Trotman made it clear that his sentiments, unlike Gouveia’s, are not motivated by politics but by a desire to see the holding of credible elections whereby the results of such can be trusted. “I want to make it very clear at this juncture that I do not care which party wins the elections. What I am most concerned about is the fate of the country in a post-elections scenario if the losers decide that mayhem must ensue as a result of their disaffection with the results. I believe that could be avoided and it is in that context, I believe, that GECOM’s role is to ensure that the conditions for credible elections are in place when they are held. I, therefore, support the actions of Lowenfield as he pursues House-to-House Registration with the objective of holding credible elections in Guyana,” the Commissioner said.

He stated that being a part of the electoral process since the 1970s, he is well aware of the dangers inherent in holding elections in Guyana with a flawed list. The house-to-house registration exercise is intended to create a fresh Official List of Electors (OLE) which includes youths now eligible and excludes those now dead or non-resident.
The previous OLE expired on April 30, 2019, while, since 2018, the Commission had taken a decision and was given the finances to hold the national exercise which was last held some 11 years ago.

Trotman told the PSC Chair that he was the person who seconded and voted for the motion that the registration exercise be held after it was met with resistance from the Opposition-nominated Commissioners. He said that he would willingly do the same again if it came to it. In his reading of Gouveia’s letter, the Commissioner also chastised the Chairman for his assassination attempt on Lowenfield’s character.

He stated: “If truth be known, all that Lowenfield — who over the years has been known and accepted as a highly competent person— has been doing is carrying out the instructions of the full Commission, including PPP Commissioners, which took a unanimous decision to implement GECOM’s 2019 work programme that includes house-to-house registration as a necessary component. It is my understanding, as I am sure it is yours, he is also, in keeping with his obligations to ensure elections are held in the shortest possible time, been carrying out those tasks which do not require the presence of the Chairman.”

Trotman said that, in his estimation, the national registration exercise is the one best way to guarantee acceptance of the results with a List all actors can have confidence in. While the PSC stated that it has been seeking an audience with members of the Commission and Secretariat for discussions on the same, Trotman said that based on the “disconcerting” tone taken, he would have “tremendous difficulty” in facilitating this engagement.