Governing coalition partner the Alliance For Change (AFC) has called for the appointment of a new Chairman for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to be done with the utmost urgency so that it can be concluded within two weeks.
“The party …urges that early consultations be held in good faith between the President and the Leader of the Opposition so that a new Chairman can be appointed without delay,” a statement, issued last evening by party executive Cathy Hughes, said.
It further noted that the party respected and accepted the recent rulings by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the matters relating to the appointment of the Chairman of GECOM and the passage of the December 21st no-confidence motion against the APNU+AFC government.
According to the party, it is committed to the rule of law and to adherence to the Constitution. It added that it viewed the resignation of Justice James Patterson as Chairman of GECOM subsequent to the CCJ’s ruling as “correct and proper,” while adding that the process for the appointment of the new Chairman is critical to public confidence in the outcome of the next general and regional elections and that there is no shortage of fit and proper Guyanese persons acceptable across the political divide to fill the position.
Notably, there was no mention of house-to-house registration, which President David Granger has declared essential for the holding of credible elections, the statement.
Instead, the party states that following the final determination of the courts, elections should now be held in keeping with the Article 106 (7) of the Constitution and that GECOM, under a new Chairman, should advise on the earliest date for such an election.
“The Alliance For Change will therefore support the holding of elections within the shortest possible time frame advised by GECOM, and urges the Parliamentary opposition to support any reasonable extension of the constitutionally required period for the holding of elections within such a time frame,” the statement concludes.
Less than a week ago, members of the AFC joined a protest in front of GECOM to demand that a new voters’ list be compiled via a national house-to-house registration before any new election is held.
AFC Member of Parliament Michael Carrington told reporters last Friday that house-to-house registration was due. He said that since last year, house-to-house registration was scheduled to take place this year.
He added that government might have to return to parliament and seek an extension of time if GECOM says it cannot hold elections within a three-month period. Carrington said that he did not think it was possible for elections to be held within three months.
