Dear Editor,
The Working Peoples Alliance Overseas Associates (WPAOA) in its January 24, press release drew attention to the rejection of the list of candidates for Chairman of Gecom submitted by the Leader of the Opposit-ion based on an interpretation of Article 161 (2) of the Constitution of Guyana that few agree was correct. Article 161 (2) reads as follows: “Subject to the provisions of paragraph (4), the Chairman of the Elections Commission shall be a person who holds or who has held office as a judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court or who is qualified to be appointed as any such judge, or any other fit and proper person, to be appointed by the President from a list of six persons, not unacceptable to the President, submitted by the Minority Leader after consultation with the political parties represented in the National Assembly, other than the party to which the President belongs.”
The Leader of the Opposition subsequently submitted a new list, an act that may very well be unconstitutional since the Constitution does not address any requirement for second or third lists. Again this second list was rejected by President Granger. In our press release under reference we had called on the President to publicly address the nation in order to explain his rationale and expectations. To date no workable understanding has emerged.
Notwithstanding the uncertainty over the interpretation of constitutional provisions governing the appointment of this person, an issue which may be resolved soon by the courts, the failure by the leaders to find agreement on a Guyanese measuring up to the criteria, is more a statement of how the prevailing political culture and conflicts have undermined the intrinsic validity of laws and institutions, rather than a lack of quality, competence and integrity available in the country.
The political processes prescribed by law and the constitution, challenges the political leadership to act in consultation, in good faith and in a spirit of cooperation to enable the legitimate governance of the country to proceed with minimum obstruction.
The President has a responsibility to assure the Guyanese people that this matter will be resolved speedily.
We in the WPAOA would like to encourage President Granger to inform the Leader of the Opposition if he has a candidate he would like to appoint and like statesmen come to a compromise. This issue is too important to the future of Guyana to be treated as a political football; and therefore we call on our WPA comrades in the APNU decision-making forum to bring their experience to bear in bringing this matter to an acceptable conclusion.
Yours faithfully,
Keith Branch
Press Secretary
WPAOA
