PPP Commissioners files motion for GECOM to withdraw action to strike out election petition

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PPP GECOM Commissioners L-R: Sase Gunraj, Robeson Benn and Bibi Shadick.

PPP GECOM Commissioners L-R: Sase Gunraj, Robeson Benn and Bibi Shadick. [iNews' Photo]
PPP GECOM Commissioners L-R: Sase Gunraj, Robeson Benn and Bibi Shadick. [iNews’ Photo]
[www.inewsguyan.com] – Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), representing the interest of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) tabled a motion at the Statutory Meeting of GECOM on Tuesday, December 1, 2015, to instruct the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, to withdraw the application to the Courts to strike out the Elections Petition.

The petition was filed by Mr. Ganga Persaud with respect to the May 11, 2015 General and Regional Elections and according to PPP GECOM Commissioner, Robeson Been, the motion “was negativized, after equal division, by the casting vote of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Dr. Steve Surujbally.

Benn told a news conference at Freedom House on Saturday, December 05, 2015 that “this action by Gecom, in our view, serves to confirm that Gecom is unwilling to open up itself to public scrutiny by way of a Court process and is, therefore, unable, as it continues to operate, to deliver free, fair, transparent elections to the people of Guyana, as it mandated by law.”

According to Benn, the action of voting against the motion by the GECOM “appears to go in consort with those efforts which put of the May 2015 elections, in grave doubts and lends credence to major stakeholders claims of rigging and fraud at those polls.”

He further noted, “This action does not augur well for the conduct of Gecom and the fairness of the upcoming March 18, 2016 Local Government Elections.”

Benn claimed that the pursuit of the application to quash the 2015 Elections Petition is already incurring a cost to GECOM and the taxpayers of nearly $7M, “with no end in sight, along with the attendant delay to any resolution of the Petition.”

According to Benn, the refusal by GECOM to provide any report on the conduct and results of the May 2015 elections is of great concern and undermines the Commission’s ability to make recommendations and changes which will positively impact on the conduct of future elections.

“Commissioners have repeatedly raised great concerns as to the policies and practices of Gecom with respect to: diversity; ethnicity and gender in its hiring employment and are anxious to receive a response on these matters so as to respond to public and stakeholders concerns,” Benn told the news conference.

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8 COMMENTS

  1. Obviously gecom is fearful of the truth of their blatant misconduct coming to light.If theres nothing to hide then why opposed the petition.?

  2. PPP Commissioners files motion for GECOM to withdraw action to strike out election petition
    PPP called for Surujbally to go–Suruj said he will go when he feel like going”
    Election before last PNC called for Surujbally to go but then met with him behind closed doors– emerged from closed doors PNC turned to Budhoo to go and Budoo had to go since PNC got their obeah and prayer people to wok pon Budhoo. The world saw in May 2015 why PNC kept Suruj.. You bet your life on it that once PNC say you go you bet you have to go. Suruj and the fat US boi along the the poodles of UK and EU and Canada did PPP in..

  3. It’s funny for 23 years when the pity poop party was winning elections in Guyana there was no complaints from them about Gecom even after they lost in 2011 but was able to retain the Presidency because of the constitution no complaints from these fools now that they have lost again in 5/11/2015 gecom is bad and corrupt it reminds me of the fox that could’nt get the grapes so he say it was sour grapes..smh.

  4. pedro put a sock in it. GECOM cannot be trusted. Let’s revisit the last National & Regional elections and explain why the PPP/C was denied a recount. Did GECOM substantiated why a recount was not prudent. In Region 2, APNU/AFC won a seat by 1 vote with no recount. This is unheard of in any Democracy. Also Region 2 had the highest number of rejected votes. So now pedro can you enlighten us.

  5. GECOM IS THE MOST CORRUPT ENTITY TO HAVE EVER EXISTED IN GUYANA , SECOND ONLY TO THE PNC. OVER THE YEARS THIS ORGANISATION HAS CORRUPTED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OLD MEN , YOUNG CHILDREN,THE INFIRM,THE STRONG AND HEALTHY, THE DEAD, THE UNBORN AND THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER EXISTED , AMONG OTHERS. AS AN EXAMPLE I’D LIKE TO STATE THAT MY FATHER WHO WAS A VERY HONEST MAN VOTED SEVEN TIMES IN 1973, ALTHOUGH HE DIED IN 1971 . I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT OUR UNIVERSITY GRADUATES DO A STUDY OF GECOM OVER THE YEARS. THE RESULTS SHOULD BE COMPILED AND PRINTED IN A BOOK ENTITLED ‘ GECOM : A STUDY IN MASSIVE ELECTORAL FRAUD. ‘ THIS BOOK SHOULD DISTRIBUTED TO COUNTRIES WHO INVITE GECOM TO OBSERVE THEIR ELECTIONS SO THEAT THE PEOPLE OF THSE COUNTRIES SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF WHO IS/ ARE PRONOUNCING ON THEIR ELECTIONS .

  7. The imbeciles continue in their futile attempts to turn back the clock on the elections and the future of the country. Twenty three years and they have not learned ,.even while rats, dogs and cats, and learning and performing new tricks and acts What a hopeless bunch.

  8. The PooPyParty, and its smaller and smaiier, braindead, group of followers, always see things ass backwards. Their move, to squash Geocoms reply to their inconsequential, Election Petition, only serves to show how fearful they are, at any kind of legal opposition to their petition.The Petiton, will not be given the consideration, of any court

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