Following the hour-long meeting between President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, the Head-of-State anticipates appointing a new Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission “within days”.
At a press conference after the meeting which was held at the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP), President Granger said both sides have agreed to work together to arrive at a consensus on the new chairman.
The CCJ recently ruled that the appointment of Justice James Patterson was flawed and in violation of the Constitution of Guyana. Justice Patterson has since resigned, triggering the need for a new chairman to be appointed.
President Granger said the Opposition Leader will submit a list of six nominees from which he will pick a suitable chairperson. He has agreed to informally suggest nominees for the Opposition Leader to include on his list.
President Granger has not ruled out the option of selecting one of the 18 persons who were previously nominated by the Opposition Leader.
“The names that have been submitted before have not been eliminated,” the President said, noting that the Opposition Leader has informed that those candidates are still willing to take up the position if required.
He said the two sides will be meeting again so as to “hammer out” the issue, to ensure GECOM has a Chairman in the shortest possible time.
When asked however when the next meeting will take place, the President only said “within days”.
Jagdeo’s delegation at the meeting included Anil Nandlall, Irfaan Ali, Juan Edghill and Gail Teixeira.
Granger’s team included Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, Minister of State, Dawn Hastings- Williams, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman and Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Mr. Joseph Harmon
