Although three senior GECOM employees at the centre of many of the scandals that rocked the 2020 general elections have been removed, it is clear that the elections body remains deeply divided as evidenced by the decision of the three opposition-appointed commissioners to abstain from the vote to terminate their contracts.
Their abstentions underline the deep political and societal fault lines around the general elections even as it was clear as day that Messrs Mingo and Lowenfield set out to overturn the will of the people. One hopes that these two persons, in particular, will be held fully accountable in relation to the various criminal charges that they face.
Many of the problems that arose after the March 2nd 2020 elections can be attributed to the feckless and questionable leadership of the chair, Justice (retired) Claudette Singh. The question therefore needs to be proffered as to whether the chair has recognised the egregious lacunae in her performance such as her failure to act decisively on March 4th when the illegal District Four declaration was made by Mr Mingo. That declaration in the face of the refusal to examine all of the results of the District was an unmistakable harbinger of the naked rigging that had come to be associated with the PNC – the major component of the then incumbent APNU+AFC – and was a chilling throwback to the 60s, 70s and 80s. Such scurrilous acts must now be sedulously guarded against.
Urgent decisions need to be taken by GECOM and particularly the chair in relation to the impending local government elections (LGE). Now that Messrs Lowenfield and Mingo are no longer in the electoral machinery, decisive action must be taken to fill these vacancies. Mr Mingo’s position can be easily filled and should be accompanied by a discussion at to whether District Four should not be subdivided to hasten the declaration of results and limit opportunities for disarray and the undermining of the integrity of the process. Presumably some of these areas might be addressed within the electoral reforms which are being formulated for consideration by the National Assembly. It is unclear why the PPP/C government is yet to expedite the presentation of these reforms. No external assistance is needed for the drafting of these provisions though extensive consultations would have to be initiated for proposed broader reforms.
Given the recalcitrant conduct of Mr Lowenfield during the five-month election debacle and the hyper-partisanship on GECOM, there is little hope that consensus will be swiftly arrived at on a new Chief Election Officer (CEO). Given the importance of ensuring that LGE are held by November or December this year, it is imperative that an interim arrangement be put in place for a CEO and a deputy. As urged before in these columns, GECOM should approach CARICOM and the Commonwealth Secretariat for the seconding of a CEO and deputy for the purposes of the LGE following which a substantive appointment can be made.
The damage done by Messrs Lowenfield, Mingo and others to confidence in the performance of key electoral officers is inestimable and cannot be easily redressed. Once a decision is made on a CEO of impeccable standing, GECOM can then proceed on the other key areas to be addressed for the elections such as continuous registration, the extraction of names from the National Register of Registrants and the procurement of elections materiel. No impediments should be placed in the way of the scheduled holding of the LGE which were restored by the APNU+AFC administration in 2016 and commendably held again in 2018.
Efficient and commanding performance by local government bodies is a work in progress. Central government has for decades imposed itself on the mandates of these bodies by controlling purse strings and seeking to establish pernicious political control. There are signs that some local government councils have shown verve and innovation in discharging their functions but also plenty evidence of the political jockeying – as evidenced at the city council – which is to the detriment of citizens. Transfers from the centre to the local councils and the level of rates and taxes must be adequate to enable councils to perform effectively as that in itself will be a bulwark against central government marching in and usurping functions.
All eyes will now be on the Ministry of Local Government in relation to setting the process in train for LGE.
