Although noting that his recent appointment prevents him from speaking definitively, Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) Chairman Justice (retired) James Patterson says that he does not see the entity’s procurement practices as a major issue.
Patterson also told Sunday Stabroek during an interview last week at his High Street, Kingston office that no decision has been taken by the commission on responding to the final reports compiled by Auditor General Deodat Sharma on the purchase of radio sets, the acquisition of ink toners and cartridges and the procurement of 2,400 nippers/pliers in 2015, which exposed serious breaches of procurement rules at the entity. These include apparent contract splitting, the supply of goods before a contract was signed and in one case the appearance of a fake quotation purporting to come from a company interested in supplying radio sets.
Gecom’s Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield has since maintained that the entity did not deviate from procurement rules in the acquisition of items ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Patterson said that given