The PPP is protesting the decision by the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) to hire public relations consultant Richard François as its public relations officer, saying that he is politically-aligned.
Urging the commission to re-examine the appointment of François in an effort to ensure that its integrity is not compromised as a result, PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee yesterday told the media that positions such as the one now held by François should not be held by political persons.
Efforts to contact Gecom’s Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally, its Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield and François, who reportedly took up the post yesterday, proved futile as they were said to be locked in an all-day meeting.
Rohee said that while the PPP respects the right to freedom of employment, it believes that what is known of François’ background debars him from holding the position at Gecom.
“Our party therefore calls on Gecom to explain this appointment in the interest of ensuring fairness and professionalism from this senior officer,” Rohee said at a press conference at Freedom House.
He said that the party’s concern is premised on incidents in the past which resulted in the lack of professionalism and fairness displayed during the 2011 general elections “when some of those professional officers prevented PPP candidates from executing their constitutional duties at some polling stations.”
He named the prevention of Dr Ashni Singh from entering a polling station while candidates for other parties were allowed as one such instance.
He noted that the role of assigned candidates to receive updates from polling stations is enshrined and must be guarded and respected.
“It is in this context that our party continues to have these concerns regarding Mr François’ ability to discharge his duties professionally and the political influence he could exert in the interest of the party he is aligned to,” Rohee said.
He mentioned the comments made by Lowenfield that Gecom would only hire professionals and not persons known to be affiliated to political parties.
Told that François’ most recent employment was with the Ministry of Education and asked what debars him from being employed at Gecom, Rohee said he was “sticking to what I have said in my press statement.”
“It is for Gecom to clarify the issue that we are raising in relation to Mr François’ employment at Gecom,” Rohee said, adding that François could issue a personal statement clarifying his right of employment at the Ministry of Education.
He later said he was unaware that François was employed at the Ministry of Education and added that the reporter “seems to know more than I do. I was not aware…and I am focusing on Mr François’ employment at Gecom.”
François over the last few months has being issuing press releases on behalf of the Education Ministry and identified himself as the Ministry’s Communication Specialist.
François was also named as one of the 10 civilians to oversee the implementation of the police service’s strategic plan under Rohee’s ministry and prior to going overseas to study he was also the communications officer at the Guyana Power & Light Inc.
“The party has a right to express its views publicly. We have done so and it is now for Gecom to come back and deal with what we have said, let Gecom deal with it,” Rohee said.
He added that the PPP is not in the habit of throwing a statement out there for mischief making and that for the party to make such a statement of François, it must have been given very serious consideration.
“This is not a political party with a membership that could fit in a Volkswagen,” Rohee stated.
