After close to two hours of talks, President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo decided that more meetings are needed to arrive at a formal list of six nominees that are “not unacceptable” to the Head-of-State.
It is that final list of six which Jagdeo will submit to President Granger, for him to choose a chairperson for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
At the end of today’s meeting, the President and the Opposition Leader sent out a joint statement where it was revealed that the Head-of-State has found four of the 11 nominees Jagdeo had initially submitted “not unacceptable”.
This means that those four individuals can make the final list of six, and could potentially be the new GECOM Chairperson.
The names of the individuals were not disclosed.
Jagdeo’s nominees included retired Major General Joe Singh, who served as GECOM Chairman years ago; Environmentalist Annette Arjoon-Martins, retired Justice of Appeal BS Roy, businessman Captain Gerry Gouveia, attorney- at-law Kashir Khan, former Magistrate Krishnadatt Persaud, Conflict resolution specialist Lawrence Latchmansingh; Retired Major General Norman McLean, businessman Ramesh Dookhoo, Retired Puisne Judge William Ramlall and Pastor Onesi La Fleur.
Meanwhile, with regards to the President’s informal nominees, Attorney Kesaundra Alves and Justice Claudette La Bennet, these names will be further discussed at a meeting tomorrow.
Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency Joseph Harmon told reporters at a press conference after the meeting that “other names necessary” will be hammered out at the meeting tomorrow.
