CoI hears…

MORE evidence has emerged from the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the 2020 General and Regional Elections that point to a cozy relationship between senior staffers of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the former APNU+AFC administration.

It has been the long-held view that GECOM officials acted in concert with the APNU+AFC to divert votes to the coalition, in a clumsy attempt before agents of political parties, accredited observers, members of the diplomatic corps and the media.

Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party, Lenox Shuman, took the stand on Tuesday to provide evidence to the commission on the third day of hearings.

Shuman painted a picture of a close relationship that was enjoyed by APNU+AFC politicians and GECOM staffers.

For example, he said that when former APNU+AFC Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karen Cummings, threatened foreign observers, she was accompanied by GECOM’s Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers, who even had possession of Cummings’ cellphone.

Myers was also accused of trying to get party officials not affiliated with APNU+AFC to leave the building.

Shuman recalled that Myers videoed persons, but restricted observers and party reps from taking photos. This occurred at the GECOM building in Kingston, where persons tried to take a photo of the “bedsheet” which was set up to display the Region Four results.

Shuman recalled that party agents and observers were told to move from the Ashmin building and reconvene at GECOM, Kingston. The key officials at the location were Myers and District Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo.

“When we arrived there was a projector, a cardboard box with a bedsheet and some chairs for party observers to sit…they started to place the Statements of Polls under the projector for it to be projected on the bedsheet,” he said.

Again, party supporters protested because persons were unable to see the figures. Shuman said that Myers was walking around taking pictures of people in the vicinity.

He recalled he was against having his photo taken, but was told to leave if he couldn’t comply.

Hearings of the COI continue today.