In fear of being dismissed from his duties and with his reputation and integrity at stake, Chief Security Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Ronald Edward Stewart said he resigned after receiving instructions from Deputy Chief Election Officer (DCEO), Roxanne Myers to “clear” the Region Four tabulation centre during the 2020 elections.
Before Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo declared the APNU+AFC coalition the winner of District Four using doctored figures on March 5, 2020, attempts were made to clear the Command Centre which was housed at the Ashmins building following information that a bomb had been planted in it.
“Everybody knew that it was a hoax. It was plain,” Stewart told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the 2020 elections yesterday.
In his testimony which was given under oath just before the lunch break, Stewart contended that members of the GECOM hierarchy attempted to “set him up”.
He noted that it was Myers who gave him instructions for everyone to evacuate the building. However, he said he did not fall for this explanation.
Recounting what took place prior to this, Stewart told the CoI that he was at his office at Barrack and Fort streets, Kingston, when he received instructions from Myers to go to the Ashmins building.
He was accompanied by a colleague who he identified as Surajban Persaud.
Upon arrival there, he said he and Persaud sat at a desk situated about 10 feet from the tabulation centre which was on the ground floor of the Ashmins building.
Whilst there, Stewart recalled that he received a call from Myers. “She (Myers) instructed me to go into the tabulation centre and get everybody to come out of the building,” Stewart said.
He said the reason which was given by Myers was that those who were present were “interfering” with Mingo’s work. However, up to this point he said he had not received any complaint from Mingo about any interference.
Persons who were present in the tabulation centre at that time included members of the diplomatic community and accredited observers. “There was the American ambassador, the Canadian ambassador, the British ambassador…members of the EU observer mission and members of the CARICOM observers mission,” Stewart said.
Stewart told the CoI that he told Myers that her instruction was “inappropriate” and he wasn’t going to “carry out” same. In response, he said she told him “okay” and she ended the call.
Planted
About fifteen minutes after, Stewart related that two men, who identified themselves as officers from the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrived with information that a bomb had been planted in the building.
“They said that they got information that a bomb was planted in the building,” Stewart told the CoI.
Shortly after, he said the then Police Commander of the Region, Edgar Thomas arrived and went into the tabulation centre. “Mr Thomas came out of the tabulation centre and told me that he told the persons there that he had received information that a bomb was planted in the building and that he was advising them to leave immediately and they refused,” Stewart explained.
Stewart said those who were present refused to evacuate the room. “They said plain they are not moving. Let the bomb blow and kill them. ‘We want to see what Mr Mingo is doing’”, Stewart said.
This, according to Stewart contributed to his decision not to adhere to Myers’ instructions. “I knew that Mr Thomas was earlier in the room to get them to come out and they refused. That’s one. Two, they were invited by GECOM’s hierarchy and if GECOM hierarchy wanted them out, they should go and tell them to leave and not try to set me up,” Stewart told the CoI which is being chaired by retired Justice, Stanley John.
At this point, he related that Myers came to him and said “Mr Stewart you are sitting there and a bomb was planted in the building. Please get the people to evacuate”. But again, Stewart said he refused to follow her instructions. “I again refused because I felt that those people in there were accredited, they were invited and if Miss Myers wanted them out, she should be the person to go in there and tell them to come out not me,” he noted.
While all this was happening, Stewart said GECOM commissioners remained in the upper flat of the building and made no attempt to leave. “All the senior people of GECOM were upstairs with other people. Nobody made any attempt to leave upstairs to come downstairs to evacuate the building. Nobody at all left the building at no stage,” Stewart related.
As a result, he said Myers returned to upper flat of the building where her office was situated.
A short while after, Stewart told the CoI that he heard “loud” noises coming from the room. “People were shouting no, no, no,” he recalled.
Sensing a dismissal, Stewart said he immediately left the building and went home. “I knew that was coming, certainly coming. I wanted to resign. I didn’t want to be dismissed that is why I left,” he said.
The following morning, Stewart said he tendered his resignation.
Following the death of Persaud, Stewart said he reapplied to GECOM and was rehired for the position effective June 2022.
