The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is having a second look at the controversy surrounding who in the The New Movement (TNM) is the bona fide List Representative and therefore with the authority to decide whether Dr Asha Kissoon is to be recalled from Parliament.
Kissoon’s term in Parliament based upon an agreement among three list-joinder parties has come to an end but she is refusing to resign.
The matter has since been raised with GECOM by Gerald Forde who says he is the List Representative and wants Kissoon recalled.
Following Forde’s March 5th letter to GECOM to have Kissoon recalled from Parliament, a response was sent to him by GECOM’s Chair, retired Justice Claudette Singh on March 18th informing him of his lack of standing. According to Singh’s letter, the Commission was in receipt of correspondence from the party, on November 16, 2020, stating that Forde was no longer an executive member and as a result, a new Representative and Deputy Representative of the List was elected.
“In view of the foregoing, please be advised that Section 99A of the Representation of the People Act, Cap 1:03 stipulates the procedure for filling of vacancies in the National Assembly and GECOM has fulfilled its obligation to the process in accordance with the law,” the letter ended.
However, on March 20, Forde received another letter from Singh rescinding the previous letter and indicating that there were some concerns to be deliberated on by the Commission and that she would inform him “expeditiously” about the outcome. While the letter did not state the concerns, sources have told Stabroek News that there is no record of the March 2020 letter informing of Forde no longer being a member of the party.
Yesterday, Forde told Stabroek News that he will seek further clarification from GECOM shortly since it has been over two weeks since the last correspondence was sent. He also related that the Commission is “still deliberating”. Forde is also awaiting a response from Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir as he had written, on March 14, to have Kissoon recalled from Parliament. On the same day, Kissoon was also sent a letter of recall by Forde.
Forde took such actions after Kissoon refused to relinquish her seat in Parliament, despite her agreed time with the joinder parties having passed. Thus far, Kissoon has refused to answer queries from Stabroek News as to why she is not giving up her seat in accordance with the agreement that had been reached among TNM, A New and United Guyana (ANUG), and the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) for the sharing of the one seat that they hold in Parliament.
LJP has served its term while TNM’s period has expired and it should have made way for ANUG since last year. In anticipation of the transition, ANUG had elected Althia King to take Kissoon’s position as its representative in Parliament.
