Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) were advised that there will be no statutory meeting today, due to the unavailability of the Chairman Justice James Patterson.
INews understands that no explanation was given for the Chairman’s absence.
The Elections Commission has not met since June 4, 2019 – and therefore- it has not been able to discuss the June 11, 2019 landmark ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in relation to elections and the legal status of its Chairperson.
The CCJ ruled that the government was defeated by the no-confidence motion on December 21, 2018 and that the GECOM Chairman was unconstitutionally appointed by President David Granger.
To date, there has been no statement from GECOM about the rulings. Public Relations Officer (PRO) Yolanda Warde says she is not in a position to comment.
The CCJ made it clear yesterday during a post-judgment hearing that the GECOM has no Chairman. CCJ President Justice Adrian Saunders said: “In relation to the GECOM case, by concluding that the procedure was flawed and in breach of the Constitution, the inexorable result unless that result is somehow stayed, is that there isn’t a GECOM Chairman. And that process has to be reengaged.”
Without a Chairman, the Commission is unable to meet, as it is the Chairman’s responsibility to call those meetings.
