Vishnu Persaud is deserving of the position
Reference is made to “Vishnu Persaud to be new Chief Election Officer” (Dec 11). He is the right person for the job with the requisite skill set, knowledge, experience, competence, ability, discipline, work ethic, and personality to carry out the body’s functions. Thus, I reject “Mr. Harmon’s blast of the selection of Persaud as new Chief Election Officer” (Dec 11). Harmon could not be more wrong. Vishnu Persaud is a professional and a man of integrity and is the most qualified candidate for the position. He is politically un-aligned. GECOM’s Chair, Justice Claudette Singh, is also a professional and a non-political and non-politicized person. She has not made decisions based on politics or partisanship but on the law. It is wrong for anyone to impugn her integrity. The country has been without a GECOM CEO for several months. Filling the vacancy is long overdue. I can’t think of anyone better suited, and one more qualified, than the known applicants for CEO of GECOM than him. He is a technocrat and a great resource professional. He was unjustly robbed of the Deputy CEO position in 2017, when the then Chair, James Patterson, chose a less qualified person for the position.
Vishnu Persaud is deserving of the position having served in a deputy role at GECOM for a period of time, and prior to that, as scribe as well as the agency’s PR person. While there, he was outstanding in his performance. He served with commitment, zeal, and dedication. I recall making a request to then Chair, Dr. Steve Surujbally, for some documents pertaining to my research for the 2006 elections; he directed me to Mr. Persaud who was most helpful. He showed that he was smart, wise, discerning, and professional in his several roles at GECOM before he was unjustly not rehired. I am confident that he will be equally competent, if not more, in executing his duties and responsibilities. I know Persaud has worked hard to reach this point, and I’m so happy that he has been duly recognized for his competence, it is well-deserved. With this new appointment comes a new mantle of responsibility. I am confident he will carry them out with grace and professionalism. I wish the new CEO all the best in this new term of office.
Sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram