Embattled Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield has been paid some $25 million in salary and allowances between January 2020 and March 2021, the House Committee of Supply was told on Wednesday during the consideration of estimates for Budget 2021.
Making the disclosure was Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira, as she provided answers on the total $4 billion allocated to GCEOM in the 2021 National Budget.
Teixeira said between January to March 2021, the CEO, for which many persons have called for his firing and/resignation, received some $3.5 million in salaries; this does not include his accumulated multimillion-dollar allowances.
A monthly breakdown of Lowenfield’s allowances amounts to $120,000 for travelling, $360,000 for entertainment, $700,000 in gratuity, $1 million for vacation, $120,000 for uniform. He is also afforded a security allowance of $6 million annually.
Meanwhile, Lowenfield’s Deputy, Roxanne Myers, draws an annual salary of $16 million, while on a monthly basis, she receives travelling and overtime allowances in the sum of $240,000; entertainment and rent $1.6 million; gratuity in the sum of $1 million; vacation $865,000 and uniform $120,000.
Both Lowenfield and Myers are before the court facing electoral fraud and misconduct in public office charges; they remain within the employ of GECOM and are accused of being at the center during alleged attempts by the APNU+AFC Coalition to rig the March 2, 2020, general and regional elections.
Meanwhile, Teixeira also provided the salaries for the Chairman of GECOM, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh, and the six commissioners of the electoral body.
With a salary of $2.05 million per month, Justice Singh receives an annual salary of $24.6 million.
She also receives an annual allowance totalling $13 million, of which $4 million is her duty allowance. A further breakdown shows monthly allowances in the sum of $46,000 for the National Insurance Scheme (NIS); $648,000 for telephone; $900,000 for electricity; $7.2 million for security and $240,000 for fuel.
Meanwhile, the six GECOM Commissioners are all paid salaries in the sum of $478,000 monthly, along with allowances. In total, on an annual basis, GECOM spends some $75 million in salaries and allowances for the Chairman and six Commissioners.
What a complete travesty! Embarrassing.