Bomb threat at Ashmin’s building was a hoax
Chief Security Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Ronald Stuart
Chief Security Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Ronald Stuart

–GECOM Security Chief tells elections CoI
–recalls Myers returning to area where bomb was reportedly placed

CHIEF Security Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Ronald Stuart, has provided intimate details of how the now infamous bomb threat was designed to remove party agents from witnessing the tabulation process for Region Four during the 2020 Regional and General Elections.

Stuart testified on the fourth day of hearings before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the 2020 elections, particularly the events at the Ashmin building at the corners of Hadfield and High Streets in Georgetown, which was the main administrative centre for the overall elections and also housed District Four operations.
According to Stuart, on March 05, 2020, he was summoned to the Ashmin building by Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Roxanne Myers.

While there, Myers contacted Stuart on his cellular phone. He told the Commission that Myers identified herself and he knew her voice well.

Myers instructed Stuart to get everyone out of the tabulation room because they were interfering with the work of the Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo.

Stuart said he saw no proof of the alleged interference and, therefore, refused to carry out the task assigned.

“I told her that that instruction was inappropriate and I am not going to carry it out. She said, “Okay”, and she terminated the call,” Stuart recalled.

He testified that about 15 minutes after that phone call ended, two male ranks entered the building and identified themselves as being from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force.

The ranks informed Stuart that a bomb was planted in the building.

He said that shortly after that, then Divisional Commander, Edgar Thomas, went into the tabulation room, informed the occupants of the bomb threat and asked that they vacate the premises.

Stuart said that Thomas then left the tabulation room after the persons refused to leave. Thomas himself then left the building.

Stuart said that Myers came downstairs and said: “Mr. Stuart you sitting there and a bomb is planted in the building; please get the people to evacuate.”

But he again refused.

The Commissioners asked Thomas about the reason he refused such an instruction from his superior.

He replied: “I felt as if those people were invited, accredited and if Ms. Myers wanted them out, she should have been the person to go in there and tell them to come out, not me.”

Pressed again about refusing to get the people out of the building despite there being a bomb threat, Stuart said that he noted the failed efforts of Commander Thomas and felt as if a senior officer failed in that feat, there was no way he could have succeeded.

DCEO WENT BACK TO ‘BOMB AREA’
Stuart said that after failing to get him to comply, Myers went back upstairs where the bomb was allegedly planted.

He said that he found it odd that GECOM’s hierarchy was notified that a bomb was planted in the building yet they all remained in the building and were only interested in getting party agents and observers to leave the building.

He said: “Everyone knew it was a setup…they said plain they not moving, let the bomb blow and kill them we want to see what Mingo doing.”

Stuart said that soon after, he heard the people break into loud protest.

“They were shouting, no, no, no,” he said.

After that, Stuart said he got up and left the building. He went home and testified that he walked off the job in the height of controversy at the Ashmin building.

He felt as if his integrity and reputation were at stake and he did not want to be dismissed.

“I knew that was certainly coming and I did not want to be dismissed. I wanted to resign,” Stuart said.

He related he resigned the following day, March 06, 2020. He was reinstated this year after reapplying for the job.

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