Days after President Bharrat Jagdeo instructed GECOM’s Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally to resign as Chairman of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, the AFC has added its voice to the issue stating that the latter appointment was unconstitutional.
The party’s presidential candidate Khemraj Ramjattan reading from a prepared statement at a press briefing this morning said the constitution makes it clear that as chairman of GECOM, Dr Surujbally cannot be otherwise employed.
He added that there is a more fundamental prescription which Dr Surujbally must adhere to as chairman of the elections body “the operations and decisions of which are as sensitive as it gets.”
And the party’s leader Raphael Trotman, who Jagdeo on Monday said supported
Surujbally’s appointment to the livestock body, said the matter was raised with him when he took his dog for veterinary care at Surujbally’s home. He said the chairman told him that all of the remuneration would be given to charity and Trotman said he advised him that he is setting himself up to be compromised. Trotman, who said he did not treat the conversation with Surujbally as a formal meeting, said Surujbally told him he would seek legal
advice. Trotman said he informed his party of the conversation.
Asked by Stabroek News why the party had not made a public pronouncement on the issue before, Trotman said “Probably we were waiting on your newspaper to do it…”
The PNCR has also said it did not approve of Surujbally’s appointment despite suggestions that it had been consulted.
