Meeting between Gov’t and opposition on Gecom Chairman still pending

President David Granger, today expressed optimism that the meeting between the Attorney General and the Opposition’s Legal representative regarding the nominee list for the appointment of a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) would move ahead swiftly and bring clarity.

While the meeting is still pending, President Granger is maintaining that his interpretation of the Constitution is quite clear.

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams who is presently in Trinidad said the Opposition’s Legal Representative and Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall wrote to him requesting that the meeting be held any time after January 25.

Minister Williams has since undertaken to set a date next week for the meeting to take place.

President Granger had said that the most efficient way to ensure legal clarification on the requirements for the appointment of a Chairman of GECOM, would be for legal representatives of the Opposition and the Government to meet to discuss their interpretations of Article 161 (2) of the Constitution.

The President in his interpretation of the Constitution rejected Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s nominee list on the grounds that none of those selected were judges or qualified to be judges, but Jagdeo is maintaining that in accordance with Article 161 (2) his nominees meet the criteria of any other “fit or proper” person.