Dharmic Sabha disturbed at Gecom Chairman unilateral appointment

The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha says it is deeply disturbed at President David Granger’s unilateral appointment and hasty swearing in of a Chairman of Gecom.

According to a release from the Dharmic Sabha, the Constitution of Guyana enshrines a process for the selection of a Gecom Chairman which up until now has been adhered to by all past Presidents. While the Constitution provides for the President to appoint a Chairman of Gecom in the instances where no list is provided by the Opposition Leader or if those persons on the list are found not to be “fit and proper”, the Dharmic Sabha finds it wholly unacceptable that he has chosen to ignore the three lists provided by the Leader of the Opposition without giving any reason as to the unsuitability of those nominees, the release said.

Choosing to ignore the competence of the diverse persons displays a desire to thwart the democratic process, the release stated. The haste to appoint someone late in the night has also raised many valid questions as to the genuine desire for a transparent electoral process. In addition, the release expressed that the choice of candidate as someone who is currently employed by the government in an advisory capacity also raises concerns about impartiality that is necessary for this key constitutional post.

The release stated that free and fair elections are intrinsic to democracy and Guyana’s democracy has been hard won, and the manner in which the President has appointed the new Gecom Chairman, a person who will be tasked with ensuring the transparency of elections, has raised lots of questions and feelings of distrust across the country.

In the interest of democracy, the Dharmic Sabha said it was calling on the President to review his decision and to act in the best interests of all of Guyana.