Disagreements among Commissioners at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) continue to stall the commencement of the interview process for shortlisted candidates for seven senior vacant positions including that of a Chief Elections Officer (CEO).
A meeting of the Commission ended on Tuesday with People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) nominated Commissioner Bibi Shadick declaring “the drama continues.”
Shadick told the News Room that with six lists of candidates submitted to GECOM Chairman Justice (retired) Claudette Singh, the three Opposition nominated Commissioners are now refusing to interview persons that they did not shortlist.
With 20 persons applying for the CEO post, the three APNU Commissioners – Vincent Alexander, Desmond Trotman, and Charles Corbin – have only shortlisted the three foreigners.
Shadick said the latest objection, which follows a series of objections to the interviewing process by the trio, concludes that “they are playing games.”
“So, we had a meeting today and we have made no decision as to when the interviews will start; the other side has said that they will not interview who they don’t think should be shortlisted,” Shadick told the News Room.
She said Justice Singh has agreed to submit her final version of the shortlisted candidates by this Thursday but it is from that list which Trotman has led the objection to interview persons they [Opposition Commissioners] did not recommend.
“It’s a drama that just continues and we are not getting away from the drama because the Chairman ends it by making a ruling… as I said to her today, ‘you are no longer a judge and decisions are made by vote and not by ruling’,” Shadick said.
A disappointed Shadick said she was hopeful that the Commission would have been further along with agreeing on a start date for the interviews. She said the long-running vacancies are holding up other major decisions in the secretariat.
“As I see it, there will be no interviews before January. It is really torturous to sit there and listen to some of the things this tag team of opposition Commissioners says.”
Shadick awaits the final shortlist from the Chairman and said she hopes good sense will prevail.
By rejecting the names shortlisted by Shadick, Sase Gunraj and Manoj Narayan, the Opposition Commissioners are rejecting the locals who have applied including former Deputy Chief Elections Officer and Public Relations Officer, Vishnu Persaud who has been shortlisted.
The APNU Commissioners had first asked for the interviews to be done by foreigners but that was rejected by the Chairman.
