-public hearing to ‘wrap-up’ by February 10

APNU+AFC-appointed commissioner on the Local Government Commission (LGC), Nicola Denise Trotman, on Tuesday, opted to not testify in the ongoing Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into events surrounding the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Trotman was summoned to testify before the tribunal and showed up with her attorney, Nigel Hughes, who told the CoI commissioners that his client does not wish to testify since she was involved in the election petition proceedings and fears self-incrimination.

Chairman of the Commission, Retired Justice of Appeal of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Stanley John, and Commissioner Carl Singh asked Hughes if his client is before the court on criminal charges in relation to the 2020 elections.

Hughes and his client both responded in the negative.

“We are here not witch-hunting. We are not here to get at anybody. We are here to ascertain the truth in relation to our Terms of Reference and if we can get your assistance, we would be grateful,” Commissioner Singh said.

Trotman took to the witness stand but refused to respond to the questions being asked by attorney Sophia Chote S.C., of Trinidad and Tobago, who led the proceedings.

“Under advice by my counsel, I will not answer,” the unwilling witness said to Chote.

In less than two minutes, the hearing was concluded.

The CoI resumes on February 6 and the public hearings should conclude by February 10.

A senior government official is expected to testify. During the final week, the attorney for the former Deputy Chief Election Officer, Roxanne Myers will be able to cross-examine witnesses who had testified before the CoI.

Thus far, Former Minister of Health Volda Lawrence; APNU+AFC activist Carol Smith-Joseph; former Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Karen Cummings; former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; former GECOM District Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo; and GECOM staff members Sheffern February, Denise Babb-Cummings, Carolyn Duncan, Enrique Livan and Michelle Miller, along with Senior Superintendent Phillip Azore have all opted to remain silent and not testify.

The CoI was provided with details of how some GECOM employees participated in the suspected plot to divert votes to the APNU +AFC instead of safeguarding the electoral system.

Witnesses have testified about the actions of Lowenfield; Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Roxanne Myers; Mingo and Livan during the vote count.

The GECOM employees are all before the court on electoral fraud charges.

Further, the CoI was told that GECOM staffers ignored specific instructions from the court, used materials that were illegal and or manipulated, and sided with APNU+AFC agents to berate observers whenever objections were raised.

Smith-Joseph has been named by witnesses testifying before the CoI as one of the persons who threatened to stomp attorney Pauline Chase, an observer representing the Bar Association, in the face, and also threatened to spit in the face of private sector representative, Kit Nascimento.

Joseph had also told diplomats from the ABCE countries to “get the f– out of Guyana.”

Testimony was also provided that Dr. Cummings had received a call and then passed that phone onto Myers during an encounter at the Ashmin’s building, the headquarters of the Region Four Returning Officer where the final tabulation was taking place.

Recently, the High Court refused to grant an injunction to three former employees of GECOM who were trying to prevent the CoI from compelling them to give evidence.

The applicants, Babb-Cummings, February and Miller had opted not to offer evidence in the CoI. The hearing into the substantive application was adjourned to February 2, 2023, by which time, the state is required to file an affidavit in defence.

Guyanese, after casting their votes on March 2, 2020, had to endure a five-month wait for the results of the elections, as they witnessed alleged unlawful acts and a slew of legal challenges.

During this time, the patience of the electorate was tested, as electors observed what were described as attempts by the then APNU+AFC administration to rip the democratic fabric of the nation, with “delay tactics” which were openly criticised by Caribbean leaders and international observers.

It was only after the legal challenges and international intervention that a national recount of all votes cast was convened and the figures showed that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) received 233,336 votes, while the APNU+AFC coalition got 217,920 votes.