Opposition, Gov’t to commence meetings on GECOM Chair

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has appointed Executive Members of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Anil Nandlall and Gail Teixeira to meet with the Government on the appointment of the next GECOM Chair.

The PPP team is expected to commence meetings with a team from the Government today at 17:00h at Castellani House.

The Government team includes Vice President and Minister of Public Security, Mr Khemraj Ramjattan; Minister of Public Health, Ms Volda Lawrence and Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Mr Joseph Harmon.

The teams are expected to work on eliminating the names of persons who are not acceptable to be on the final list which will be submitted to President David Granger for consideration of the next GECOM head.

Following a meeting between the President and Opposition Leader on Thursday last, the two sides decided that smaller groups will meet to “hammer out” the names narrowing it down to just those which are acceptable to both parties.

The Opposition Leader in a letter to the President at the weekend made his first submission of eleven names drawn from the 18 names which he initially submitted in 2017.

Those names were all rejected by the President as unacceptable but Mr. Granger has since indicated that he will reconsider those persons who are still willing to be selected for post.

The names resubmitted are: Environmentalist Annette Arjoon-Martins, Justice of Appeal B.S Roy (ret’d), Captain Gerry Gouveia, major General (ret’d) Joseph Singh, Attorney-at-law Mr. Kashir Khan, former Senior Magistrate Krishnadatt Persaud, Human Rights & Conflict Resolution Consultant Lawrence Latchmansingh, major General (ret’d) Norman McLean, Onesi LaFleur, Former Chair of the Private Sector Commission Ramesh Dookhoo and Puisne Judge (ret’d) William Ramlall.

It was noted that the Ministry of the Presidency is already in possession of the Curriculum Vitae for those persons.

The Opposition Leader in the letter signed by Teixeira, further noted that the Opposition looks forward to the President’s submissions.

It was agreed that in accordance with the June 18^th Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling, the President will also suggest names of persons to be considered for the post.

The CCJ had called for a consensual method to addressing the issue.

Both parties have expressed optimism that the selection process will be completed within days since GECOM is without a chair.

Justice Patterson on June 24 left the post in accordance with the CCJ ruling that his appointment was flawed.