BY: MARVIN CATO | HGP NIGHTLY NEWS|
Opposition-nominated Commissioner on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Vincent Alexander, has pushed back against recent remarks made by GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, calling her interpretation of the law “erroneous” and “deeply flawed.”
Speaking with Nightly News, Alexander said the Chair’s assertion that the current configuration of Parliament invalidates the tenure of existing opposition-nominated commissioners is legally unsound.
“This is a matter of interpretation of the law,” Alexander said. “If she claims we are no longer commissioners because of parliamentary changes, then by that logic, she too should fall into that category.”
Alexander contended that the Chair was not involved in crafting the legal provisions governing GECOM’s appointments, noting that while the original law dates back to 1992, it only became a normative act following constitutional reforms in 2001—a process during which Singh was not present.
He further accused the Chair of failing to publicly declare the full election results, including the regional elections, as required under the constitution, calling it a dereliction of duty.
“There was no public declaration of the regional results,” he stressed. “Under the law, she was required to make that declaration and submit a complete report to the Commission.”
Alexander added that while he is not opposed to judicial review or even the possibility of being re-nominated under a new Opposition Leader, he believes the matter must be settled in court to remove any “judicial doubts” about the Commission’s legitimacy.
“The court must pronounce on this issue,” he said. “Until then, we remain commissioners duly appointed under the law.”
Alexander concluded by reaffirming that his commitment is to the country above all else, even as the dispute between GECOM’s leadership continues to expose deep divisions within the electoral body.
