…say petition for her resignation unwarranted

THE Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), The New Movement (TNM) and the United Republican Party (URP) have come out in support of Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh and against calls for her resignation.

Recently, a small group of Guyanese petitioned for Singh to resign, stating that while President David Granger had placed confidence in the GECOM Chair, they are currently dissatisfied with a number of decisions taken under her watch.

However, in a release to the media, the LJP said that the party reiterates its support for the Chair and expressed its “disappointment and disgust” with the petition for her resignation.

“We continue to maintain and express our support for Madam Chair. That the Chair continues to conduct herself in line with her life-long legal training and profession and in the most objective of manners poses the obvious threat to people who intend to undermine Guyana’s democracy and who want to hijack the will of the people,” the party stated.

Meanwhile, the TNM encouraged Justice Singh to remain in high spirits as the election will soon come to an end. The party said that it finds disheartening, recent ill statements made about the Chair and wants her to know that the small group of protestors do not speak for all Guyanese.

“…we are confident that they will not pierce your just heart,” iron lady.” You have shown utmost courage, bravery and patriotism over the past months and we thank you. The nation is looking up to you and we anxiously but eagerly await the declaration of the president- elect. We encourage you to remain steadfast to the true numbers produced during the
recount process which you executed and completed in a safe and efficient manner,” the TNM encouraged.

In another press release of its own, the URP dubbed the Chair as “the most creditable Chairperson of GECOM.” The party said that Justice Singh is a woman of high standards, moral Integrity and honesty, who should not have to face a petition for her resignation.

“Ms. Singh has been fair and impartial in all of her decisions in relation to bringing an end to the current electoral Impasse. Anyone in their right mind will not call for the resignation of such an outstanding public servant who has conducted herself admirably as the GECOM Chair,” the URP stated, adding:

“Let us not forget the lengthy process that eventually placed this honourable lady in the position she now holds and executes with utmost legal tenacity and fortitude.”

The petition signed by citizens for the Chair to resign had pinpointed one of the reasons as the Chair’s decision taken to terminate the house-to-house registration exercise prematurely in 2019, shortly after she was appointed to serve.

The petitioners stated that the challenges currently faced are partially linked to GECOM’s failure to cleanse the National Register of Registrants Database (NRRDB) and, by extension, the Official List of Electors (OLE) which resulted in a flawed and bloated OLE, the heart of the fraud uncovered during the national recount.