Embattled Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield has been paid some $25 million in salary and other benefits during the period from January 2020 to date.
This was revealed by Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira during the consideration of the Budget 2021 estimates for the Guyana Elections Commission earlier today.
Lowenfield, who is currently facing several fraud charges over last year’s March General and Regional Elections, cashed in on some $3.5 million for this year.
Lowenfield also benefited from allowances such as $120,000 for travelling, $360,000 for entertainment, $700,000 in gratuity, $1 million for vacation, and $120,000 for uniform. He also benefited from an annual security allowance to the tune of $6 million.
There has been mounting calls for the embattled CEO to be removed from the Elections Commission before another election is held.
Meanwhile, it was also disclosed that another $16.5 million has been budgeted this year for Deputy CEO, Roxanne Myers, who is also facing criminal charges for electoral fraud. She receives travelling and overtime allowances in the sum of $240,000; entertainment and rent $1.6 million; gratuity in the sum of $1 million; vacation $865,000 and uniform $120,000.
