Dear Editor,
It is commendable that the Sunday Stabroek took the time to critically analyze and contextualize a UWI Cave Hill Campus virtual presentation by Political Scientist, Professor Cynthia Barrow-Giles and Law Lecturer Dr. Ronnie Yearwood in its 24th October, 2021 Editorial titled, `Politics and the courts’.
Notably, the Editorial quoted Professor Barrow-Giles’ view that “it was GECOM which should have had an overriding role to play in the developments that took place in the wake of the 2020 elections, but that it had been sidelined.” This statement is quite accurate; I dare say to those who understand, respect and are obligated to the Constitution.
However, I am perplexed that the author of the Sunday Stabroek editorial seemingly does not understand the concept of obligation to the Constitution and respect for the Court and went on to express the view that, “it might be remarked that under the current arrangements what matters is the resolve and fortitude of the Chairman, and under extreme pressure Justice Claudette Singh shied away from doing what was necessary at the very earliest stages of the crisis last year. As things stand it is not a post for the faint-hearted.”
Although the Commission has repeatedly justified its actions at that point, I believe the author of the Sunday Stabroek editorial has conveniently missed it. In this regard, I take this opportunity to remind all Guyanese that on 5th March, 2020, a mandatory injunction was granted by the Court against the Commission and Chief Election Officer which as a consequence impeded my intervention and by extension that of the Commission to implement a legally guided decision and approach to finalize the electoral process.
As a former Law Officer and a retired Justice of Appeal, I wish to categorically state that I will always uphold and respect the Laws of Guyana and whether strong or weak, whoever is the Chairperson of GECOM must also abide by the Constitution and decisions of the Court.
Yours faithfully,
Justice Claudette Singh SC, CCH
Justice of Appeal (Ret’d)
Chairperson
Guyana Elections Commission
Editor-in-Chief’s note: The editorial would have been referring particularly to events earlier on March 5th, prior to the granting of the mandatory injunction, when the District 4 Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo scandalously and scurrilously declared a rigged result for Region Four and questions were raised in many quarters as to why the GECOM Chair failed to intervene to prevent this abomination.