…urges end to walkouts, to be guided by laws, constitution

KNOWN as the ‘Iron Lady, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh S.C, CCH, the newly appointed Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), said she is prepared to “hammer-out” the issues facing the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in accordance with the Constitution and Laws of Guyana, and nothing else.

A move by the Elections Secretariat to initiate House-to-House Registration ahead of elections has resulted in major objections from the Opposition-nominated Commissioners and the Opposition, though approval came from the Commission. In fact, since the passage of the No-Confidence Motion against the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government last December, the Opposition-nominated Commissioners have walked out of several critical meetings, and in some cases, boycotted it altogether, thereby crippling the work of the Commission. Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram is currently challenging the constitutionality of the national exercise.

The Government, on the other hand, is in support of the national registration exercise. In offering its support, it has alluded to the fact that the voters’ list expired since April 30. It has suggested that the list, in the current state, is bloated with approximately 200,000 dead persons or those who have since migrated. As an independent voice, the Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield has explained that the operationalisation of House-to-House Registration 2019 is based on the directive of the Elections Commission on February 19, 2019 and by extension Order No. 25 of 2019 dated June 11, 2019.

By the law and constitution

Meanwhile, in an interview with reporters, shortly after receiving her Letter of Appointment, Justice Singh made it clear that she will abide by the Constitution and the Laws of Guyana. “…There is only one way, in accordance with the law, and in accordance with the Constitution, and nothing else,” Justice Singh told reporters.

Her priority is to facilitate credible elections. “I am endeavouring to have free, fair and transparent elections,” the GECOM Chair stated. Cognizant of the challenges ahead of her, Justice Singh recalled the days when she was called ‘The Iron Lady’ and ‘The Hanging Judge,” and made it known that she is ready to sit down with the commissioners and iron out the issues plaguing the Commission. “I am also looking forward to having a meeting with each set of commissioners, and I will have it separately – a meeting with the Government commissioners, then a meeting with the Opposition commissioners, and then I will bring all of them together…and I will speak to everybody,” Justice Singh explained while noting that she believes in inclusivity.

No walkout

“I do not believe in people walking out when there is a disagreement. I believe in sitting down and hammer-up what the problem is,” she added. In 2017, Justice Singh identified to be among nominees for the position but had turned down the offer. This time, the legal luminary said she took up the offer for the sake of her country. “The Leader of the Opposition and the President repose their confidence in me and they both thought that I was the most suitable person, and they asked me for the sake of the country, and that is why nothing else,” the retired judge explained.

It is expected that she will report for duty today, and meetings with the Commissioners and staff of the Secretariat would be held thereafter. With some 40 years of experience, Justice Singh is one of only three women to be appointed Senior Counsel in history of Independent Guyana. She was called to the Bar in London in 1973 and admitted to the Bar in Guyana in 1976. Justice Singh served as the Deputy Solicitor General, as a Puisne Judge and a Justice of Appeal. During her tenure at the Chamber of the Attorney-General (AG), she spearheaded the Modernisation of the Justice Reform Project and is currently serving as the Guyana Police Force’s Legal Adviser.