Dear Editor,
GECOM’s recent appointment of Melanie Marshall as Voter Registration Manager is mind-boggling.

The decision seemingly is hinged on a lack of documented evidence against the myriad complaints and objections reported against the performances of this staff member. This may be linked to the justifiable discard of former Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, under whose responsibility the necessary deterring actions should have been taken. The sinister sweep of sensitive and confidential data from GECOM’s computers does not automatically remove the many emboldened wrongdoings of many of the staff, and therefore, these should not be merely swept aside in providing a clean slate.

Critically, it does not require any major research competence in order for one to link the reasons for this seemingly abstract position in the case of Melanie Marshall. Some in Lowenfield’s cabal group in GECOM were first emboldened by the biased antics of the unilaterally appointed CEO James Patterson. Following his ejection by the Caribbean Court of Justice, the key players served to fulfil strategic roles in Lowenfield’s plans. Therefore, re-employment considerations should not be merely academic qualifications, but rather, a much closer look through an absolute interrogation of her previous performance in the various roles. GECOM must so do for all and sundry if the institution will win the trust of this nation.

Melanie Marshall was officially the Region #4 Returning Officer during the 2015 National and Regional Elections. Notably, the PPP/C and other minority parties complained bitterly about the fact that she was not using the Statements of Polls. To these complaints, she deliberately adjourned the process and committed to a continuation the following day. The rest is history! In 2015, the introduction of the scandalous ‘broadsheet’ was one of the main reasons for an election petition in the courts, given the role of some GECOM staff in the attempted rigging that took place.

It must also be noted that in 2016 the relvant PPP/C personnel connected to GECOM, vehemently opposed her as the touted Returning Officer in Region #4 for the Local Government Elections. She was subsequently sidelined. In 2018, again the PPP/C presented major objections to her selection to function as Returning Officer in Region #4 during the Local Government Elections. She was not appointed to any substantial position in the 2020 National and Regional Elections. Of note, after she was opposed, the controversial Keith Lowenfield who is before the courts on election fraud charges, catapulted the ‘Returning Officer’from Region #5 to the position of Returning Officer in Region #4.

As recent history will confirm, the substitute Clairmont Mingo is the one who continued with the ‘rigging broadsheet.’ He was dismissed and is now also before the court for fraud. It must be noted that the Presiding Officers on the East Coast of Demerara during Election Day on March 02, 2020, committed some unpardonable sins. The Presiding Officers claimed that they were wrongly instructed by GECOM officials. Consequently, the PNC began making all sorts of false allegations of what were and were not in the ballot boxes. The Guyana Elections Commission must have a thorough discussion on what took place before and after the 2020 National and Regional Elections.

Most seriously, GECOM must let the nation know what was Melanie Marshall’s role during and after the 2020 Elections.

As they are saying that she was confirmed as the Voter Registration Manager, we need to know when and who appointed her to act as the Voter Registration Manager when that position was advertised.

Yours sincerely,
Neil Kumar