By Kurt Campbell
More than a month after applications closed for persons to fill the vacant post of Chief Elections Officer (CEO) and with some 20 persons having applied, six of those applicants have made it to the final shortlist submitted to Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) by Chairman Justice (retired) Claudette Singh.
The News Room has been reliably informed that three locals – Vishnu Persaud, Aneal Giddings and Deodat Persaud – along with three foreigners – Eugene Petty, Kurt Clarke and Leslie Harrow – have been shortlisted to go forward to the interview round.
Opposition nominated Commissioners – Vincent Alexander, Desmond Trotman, and Charles Corbin – had only shortlisted the three foreigners and are reportedly refusing to interview any of the locals.
Additionally, four persons have made the final shortlist to be interviewed for the Deputy CEO post.
They are Melanie Marshall, Neil Bacchus, Mohamed Arjoon and Deodat Persaud.
Commissioners will now have to sit with Justice Singh to conduct the interviews to select one person to become the country’s next CEO and DCEO. But that process is already marred in controversy.
The APNU+AFC opposition and other political figures have recommended that GECOM add external persons to the interviewing panel, a suggestion that has already been voted down by the Chairman and the three People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) nominated Commissioners.
The absence of a CEO and DCEO has largely affected the work of GECOM’s Secretariat with planning for constitutionally due Local Government Elections (LGE) stalled.
Meanwhile, the seven-member commission will also be interviewing for five additional senior posts for which a final shortlist has been submitted.
For the Legal Officer, those shortlisted are Shareefa Parks, Kurt DaSilva, Kimberley Yearwood and Felicia Toby.
For the Assistant Chief Elections Officer (ACEO), those shortlisted are Delon Clarke, Noland Jervis, Melanie Marshall, Paul Jaisingh, Mohamed Arjoon, Neil Bacchus, Deolall Ramlall, Deodat Persaud, Natasha Grenion Dipchand, Andrea Sparman, Duarte Hetsberger and Colin April.
For Chief Accountant, those shortlisted are Jaiwattie Singh, Abeossa Simon, Orlando Small, Victor Arjune and Ronald Charles.
The other posts are Civic and Voter Education Manager for which 17 persons have been shortlisted and Logistics Manager for which 24 persons have been shortlisted.
