Damning elections inquiry report to be tabled in National Assembly, law changes possible

The damning elections inquiry report will soon be tabled in the National Assembly and the government will endeavour to act on the recommendations made, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday.

Jagdeo, speaking at a People’s Progressive Party/ Civic party press conference, said this report provides “documentary evidence” that political figures in Guyana were involved in efforts to derail and corrupt the 2020 elections.

Though the report affirmed much of what he believes was already known, the Vice President said the recommendations will be examined to help strengthen the local electoral system.

That report made some key recommendations, including depoliticising the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and introducing campaign financing laws.

Jagdeo said campaign financing laws are a manifesto promise of the PPP/C and those will be crafted, though he did not commit to a timeline.

He also acknowledged that changes at GECOM have been recommended on several occasions but there are some merits to having a political commission. In fact, he said the commission, made up of three government-nominated commissioners and three opposition-nominated commissioners alongside the GECOM Chairperson, helped to prevent further challenges in the 2020 elections.

Still, Jagdeo said these and other recommendations will be considered and pursued.

“We need to look at the other laws, for example, the Local Government Act [and the Municipal and District Councils Act], these need to be revised too to ensure that we don’t have a similar situation repeating itself,” the Vice President said.

Other recommendations in the report, such as an improvement of Guyana’s electoral laws, have already been dealt with.

After three months of hearings that featured firsthand accounts of what transpired, the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections stated that former Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield, his deputy, Roxanne Myers and the District Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo were involved in efforts to derail and corrupt the elections.

That report was presented to President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Wednesday. Soon after, it was made public.