Guayana: renuncia el presidente de la Comisión Electoral y sigue la incertidumbre sobre fecha de comicios
Guyana Electoral Commission chairman steps down
The embattled chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired justice James Patterson demitted office on Tuesday, one week after the Trinidad based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) said his appointed was flawed and not in keeping with the provisions of the constitution.
Patterson met with President David Granger who thanked him for his service over the past 20 years, according to an official statement issued by the Department of Public Information (DPI).
It said that Patterson had submitted his on Monday “thereby rendering that post vacant”. Patterson was appointed to the post in October 2017.
The CCJ, which is Guyana’s highest and final court said in its ruling on June 18 that also validated a motion of no confidence against the government that was passed in the National Assembly last December that while the Court found the section regarding the appointment of Patterson as GECOM chairman to be flawed, it wanted to emphasized, however, that nothing in its judgment was intended “in the slightest degree” to cast aspersions on Patterson’s competence and suitability for the post.
CCJ President Justice Adrian Saunders, who delivered the ruling, also said also that there should not be any suggestion also that President Granger had not acted in good faith.
The CCJ ruled that the Guyana Constitution stated that the GECOM chairman had to be appointed by the President from a list of six persons, not unacceptable to the President, submitted by the Leader of the Opposition.
The Court heard that three lists, with a total of 18 nominees for the post of the GECOM Chairman, were submitted for consideration by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and rejected by Granger.
The CCJ noted that there could be a “reasonable and responsible” manner in selecting the future GECOM chairman, with both the President and the Opposition Leader meeting before to agree on the names of possible nominees.
On Monday, when the CCJ met to discuss the consequential orders and costs arising from the June 18 ruling, Justice Saunders expressed the Court’s displeasure at the failure of the stakeholders in Guyana to reach some form of “compromise” that would allow for fresh regional and general elections in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country as soon as possible..
“It beats me that the Leader of the Opposition and the President and their respective counsel had not met to discuss the issues that confront us,” he said, ruling that main parties will submit their written submissions “on or about July 1” and the Court will not give a decision until July 12 in the hope that the parties will meet “repeatedly with a view hopefully to agreeing…on the issues which are outstanding that we can give a decision on or that need to be made.
“Judgements on submissions will be given on the 12th, “he added.
Ven con buenos ojos en Guyana actualizar lista de electores
El gobierno de Guyana y la población concuerdan ayer en redactar la nueva lista oficial de electores con miras a los comicios que deben celebrarse en fecha aún por determinar.
La semana pasada, el Tribunal de Justicia del Caribe avaló una moción de no confianza contra el presidente, David Granger, que obliga a nuevas elecciones.
El mandatario, en una alocución pública, afirmó que su gobierno respetará el proceso legal y acatará el fallo.
La moción fue presentada por Bharrat Jagdeo, líder del opositor Partido Progresista del Pueblo, por el supuesto derroche de recursos petroleros de la nación, y obtuvo un resultado de 33 votos a favor y 32 en contra para su aprobación.
‘No creíamos que el voto de no confianza fuera válido, y tampoco creíamos que reflejara la voluntad del Parlamento o el pueblo de Guyana. Sin embargo, aceptaremos y acataremos la decisión del Tribunal’, subrayó Granger.
Es esencial la celebración elecciones justas, libres y creíbles expresó el presidente y en ese sentido propuso actualizar la lista de votantes la cual pudiera contener hasta 200 mil entradas incorrectas, recalcó.
Además, los que han alcanzado la edad de 18 años desde la última elección no están en ella, acotó el gobernante.
Explicó que la Constitución otorga a todos los ciudadanos mayores de 18 años el derecho a votar por lo que urge el registro para tener una elección lo antes posible.
La lista oficial de electores caducó el 30 de abril pasado y hay pedidos generalizados para su actualización a través del registro de casa en casa.
Un grupo de jóvenes encuestados dijeron unánimemente que todos apoyaban la petición de una nueva lista de electores, refiere hoy el Departamento Público de Información.
Sin embargo, el principal partido de la oposición parlamentaria pide que se utilice la lista ahora desactualizada para las elecciones generales y regionales, añade la publicación.
