FORMER Returning Officer and Voter Registration Manager at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Beverly Critchlow, has been appointed Assistant Chief Election Officer (ACEO).

The appointment of Critchlow was supported by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Commissioners Sase Gunraj, Manoj Narayan and Clement Rohee, but was rejected by the APNU+AFC Commissioners Charles Corbin, Desmond Trotman and Vincent Alexander.

Chairperson of GECOM, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh, cast the defining vote in favour of Critchlow.

Commissioner Gunraj, when contacted by the Guyana Chronicle, said the process was competitive and Critchlow, the most qualified person who served without any issue, was chosen.

He related that the Opposition Commissioners opted for Melanie Marshall, a former Returning Officer for Region Four. Marshall was early this year appointed as the commission’s Voter Registration Manager.

Alexander reportedly expressed concern and dissatisfaction with the process, but Commissioner Gunraj said those complaints were raised only after the completion of the process.

“Ms. Critchlow served in various capacities in GECOM, and there were never any issues with her carrying out her functions, and as a consequence, she was appointed based on the majority vote,” Gunraj affirmed.

Earlier this year, several persons were shortlisted for the post of Assistant Chief Elections Officer, and while this position has been filled, there remain other outstanding vacancies at GECOM, including the position of Deputy CEO.