Bilateral engagements are no closer to bringing President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo together for a meeting.
Instead of confirming a meeting time and date, the government has confirmed two names for Jagdeo’s consideration to include on his list of nominees for Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman.
On Monday, Jagdeo revealed that government confirmed Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Chair Kesaundra Alves and Justice Claudette La Bennet as nominees the President has no objection to.
Both women were part of a list of eight nominees the President submitted to Jagdeo, as part of consultations to come up with a GECOM Chair.
But according to Jagdeo, who hosted a press conference at his office, they are still unclear as to which of his nominees were rejected by the President.
Jagdeo pointed out that when the government’s representatives met his representatives last week, they shortlisted names without the President’s approval.
As such, he also criticized the President for his recent admonitions that the Opposition Leader acted in bad faith by resubmitting previously rejected names. According to Jagdeo, he resubmitted those names because of an agreement between himself and the President.
Meanwhile, Jagdeo noted that the government side had held out of a possible meeting between him and the President today there has been no confirmation. Only recently, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) urged the President to select a new GECOM Chairman from the list that was submitted by the Position leader.
Jagdeo submitted a list that 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.
