Representatives of both President David Granger and Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, will meet this afternoon at 17:00h at Castellani House to discuss nominations for the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
Jagdeo would have submitted a list of 11 persons for the post of GECOM Chair over the weekend and would indicated that the Opposition is willing to meet today to discuss the names he had had submitted for consideration.
The nominees include Annette Arjoon-Martins; BS Roy (Retired Justice of Appeal); Gerry Gouveia (Captain); Joseph Singh (Retired Major General); Kashir Khan (Attorney-at-Law); Krishnadatt Persaud (former Senior Magistrate); Lawrence Latchmansingh; Norman McLean (Retired Major General); Onesi La Fleur; Ramesh Dookhoo and William Ramlall (Retired Puisne Judge).
However, today’s meeting is in keeping with the Caribbean Court of Justice’s ruling which said the two sides (Government and Opposition) should work together to produce a list of persons to be considered for the post.
At the meeting President Granger will be represented by Vice President and Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan; Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence and Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon while the Opposition Leader will be represented by PPP/C Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira and former Attorney General Anil Nandlall.
The two teams will meet regularly to ‘hammer out’ the names of persons to arrive at a list of six which the Leader of the Opposition will present to President Granger and from which the President would choose one person to be names as GECOM Chair.
The President Granger had indicated that the discussions he had had with the Opposition Leader were focused on the means to be adopted for the nomination and appointment of a Chairman of the Elections Commission.
The President has repeatedly said that unless and until the Chairman is appointed, the work of the Commission will not be able to move ahead as quickly as possible.
