Welcoming the impending appointment of Justice Claudette Singh as the new Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), A New and United Guyana (ANUG) has urged that the major political parties support her, even if her positions on how to proceed towards constitutionally-due elections are not in line with theirs.
After weeks of testy negotiations, the retired judge was on Friday selected by President David Granger from a list of six nominees that was formally submitted to him by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.
In a statement issued yesterday, ANUG noted that Justice Singh will occupy “perhaps the most difficult, challenging and controversial job” in Guyana. “Before even familiarsing herself with the basic elements and parameters of her office, Justice Singh will have to decide whether to support that the electoral list be extracted from the existing database and subjected to claims and objections, or whether a new electoral list has to be compiled from house to house registration. In an equally divided GECOM, her vote will be decisive,” it added.
According to ANUG, if GECOM’s decision is to utilise the existing database, the elections can be held by September 18th, within the constitutional deadline. If it decides on a house-to-house registration, it added, a cascade of controversies and true gridlock will flow as the constitutional deadline will be violated. “The time for elections will have to be extended to late 2020, which can only be done with the support of the Opposition. If not, the entire process from that time onwards will be tainted with illegality and subject to court challenges,” it pointed out.
Accordingly, ANUG said it is incumbent on the major political parties to support Justice Singh, even if her positions do not accord with theirs. At the same time, it added that while Justice Singh needs to be cognisant of the concerns of the members of GECOM, she should not allow those concerns to be detract her from the hard choices that she will have to make.
ANUG noted that Justice Singh, who is the Police Legal Adviser, has wide experience as an officer in the Attorney General’s Chambers, and a Judge of the High Court and of the Court of Appeal. “She is widely respected and her appointment is expected to attract broad support,” it said.
It also noted her vast experience as a judge over several decades in making difficult decisions based on evidence after considering all the arguments. “This experience will provide a favourable background in enabling her not only to be bold and courageous but to have foremost in her mind the interests of Guyana and its Constitution. ANUG wishes her well,” the party added.
Elections are due as a result of the passage of a no-confidence motion against the APNU+AFC government on December 21st last year.
After government contested its passage in court, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on June 18th held that the passage of the motion was valid, thereby requiring the holding of elections by September 18th unless an extension of the three-month deadline is granted by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly.
