‘It is overdue’ – motions filed to dismiss GECOM’s trio accused of electoral fraud

The continued employment of the three senior functionaries at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), accused of electoral fraud, now hangs on the success of three motions laid at a statutory meeting of the Commission on Tuesday.

A motion to immediately dismiss the embattled Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, was moved by government nominated Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, while his colleague Commissioner, Bibi Shadick, moved another motion to remove his Deputy, Roxanne Myers.

The third motion, moved by Commissioner, Manoj Narayan, seeking the immediate dismissal of District #4 Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo.

With the current makeup of the Commission, the success of these motions now rely essentially on the vote of the GECOM Chairman, Justice (retired) Claudette Singh.

But before that vote, all interested and affected parties will have to be notified by the GECOM Chairman and the matter placed on the agenda for deliberations at a subsequent date.

The motions were filed more than a year after the three, along with others, have been accused of attempts to thwart the results of the March 02, 2020, regional and general elections.

Speaking to the News Room by phone, Commissioner Shadick said “it is overdue.”

“We have to move formal motions because we have a Chairman who demands formality; I have tried lots of time in the past to move a motion on the floor but it never happened,” Shadick explained.

She said moves to increase the push to have the three removed have become even more necessary now because of the events occurring, including the release of the Statements of Polls (SOPs) to the Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to pursue criminal charges in the Magistrates’ Court.

“The Chairman doesn’t seem to understand her duty… when a public officer is charged, they are interdicted and that didn’t happen to these people… they remain on the job and they are doing all sorts of things,” the Commissioner added.

Shadick said she foresees attempts by some to stall the discussion and vote on the motion but hopes that although it may tend to prolong, public pressure will be put on those responsible for moving the process forward.

Persons have long called for the removal of Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo with the government indicating that it does not intend to go to another election with them there.

Local Government Elections are due this year.