Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has said that he is open to having the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) be someone from the Commonwealth.
During a press conference, yesterday, Jagdeo said that the President has not yet responded to the letter Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira sent the Ministry of the Presidency four days ago, in which the Opposition indicated that Jagdeo is willing to meet at any time to address the selection of the new GECOM Chairman.
This is due to the fact that retired Justice James Patterson demitted office after a ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice found his appointment by the President to be unconstitutional and flawed.
The Opposition Leader said, yesterday, that he is hoping for a response from the President soon, adding that it is his intention for the 18 names on the three lists previously rejected by the President to form the basis for their discussions.
But the Opposition has already started the process of soliciting new names. Jagdeo said that selecting names from the Commonwealth is being considered if necessary because it is permitted by law.
This contention was previously raised by another member of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Anil Nandlall, who said that it should be so, since the President’s consideration of those names was flawed. He added that the President could perhaps justify why those names were rejected, first.
On Wednesday, Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, in addressing this issue, had said that Jagdeo should not “dump” six names on the President, but that he must meet with the President and deliberate on the six names together.
Jagdeo said that it is not his intention to dump six names on the President.
Under normal circumstances, the Opposition Leader would develop a list without the President’s input.
The AFC Leader had added that the CCJ Judgment Summary on Patterson’s appointment orders the two parties to instead deliberate on the names together.
In truth, in naming that method as a possible solution to the current impasse, the judgment only suggests it, saying that the parties could “perhaps” take that course of action.
When asked if he would be open to doing so, Jagdeo said that he is not above it, and that he will do what is necessary to ensure they meet consensus for a speedy process to the General and Regional Elections.
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