Maybe before, but certainly after my article last week, it must have become obvious to all who read it why the struggle for control of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is so heated. This week I wanted to concentrate on ‘How to stop elections rigging’, but a diversion has become necessary because, for the life of me, I cannot understand how, given the historical explications of their operational framework – Carter Formula/universal arbitration – the political parties still cannot order their business to come to an amicable conclusion over the appointment of a chairperson for GECOM.
If I had to cast blame, I would put it at the feet of Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who approached the constitutional task assigned to him in an instrumentalist fashion devoid of an historical context and intended to favour his party. As a result, he facilitated the process of choosing the chairperson of the GECOM being institutionally transformed to his disadvantage (‘Smart-man’ and disruptive politics. SN: 18/01/2017)! Indeed, I have suggested before in this column, that historically in choosing the chairperson under the Carter Formula, it is the government of the day that has usually been given a slight advantage (SN: 14/06/2017).