The People’s Progressive Party (PPP), today, announced that it will be holding a public forum on the appointment of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). The event will be held on Friday, January 20, 2017 and will commence at 17:00 hours at the Umana Yana, Kingston.
According to a press statement issued earlier today, the forum is intended to further sensitize the public on the importance of adhering to the democratic process of appointing a Chairman of GECOM.
“The Party believes this is crucial to safeguarding the country’s hard-earned democracy especially in the context of the worrying signs the government is sending following the President’s rejection of a list of potential candidates for the position and the numerous, inconsistent and strained interpretations which have been placed upon the relevant powers of the Constitution in respect to this issue”, the statement noted.
President David Granger is the first President between 1992-present to have rejected a list of names submitted by the Leader of the Opposition as required by the Constitution. “The Party sees this as an ominous sign and an attempt by the government to derail the Constitutional process of appointment and to unilaterally install a Chairman of its choice in contravention of the letter and spirit of the Constitution”.
According to the PPP, this poses a grave threat to the nation’s democracy and the party believes that the forum as intended is an “extremely valuable mechanism to keep Guyanese inform on the process and the potential impact of its derailment”.
The forum will be addressed by the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo; former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall; Mr. Nigel Hinds and other representatives of Civil Society. It is open to the general public who will be given an opportunity to contribute if desired and to seek clarification through questions where necessary.
