Gecom ready for any elections once directed, PM tells House

The Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) is ready for any elections—regional or national—once so directed, the Committee of Supply heard last evening, when it voted in favour of the $3.3B requested in the national budget for the agency.

New Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield, through Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, communicated Gecom’s readiness.

While both APNU and AFC members of parliament posed questions on the proposed programmes to be undertaken by the commission, they had little difficulty voting in favour of the proposed expenditure. The Committee of Supply also voted in favour of the $85M required for the Teaching Service Commission. Following questioning, it was revealed that while two members of the commission have died  a quorum still exists for the commission to carry out its work.

The sum of $69M budgeted for the Public and Police Service Commissions also found favour with the committee.