Shaddick, Benn nominated as PPP Commissioners at GECOM

TIMES INT'L

By Michael Younge

Bibi Shaddick
Bibi Shaddick

Two of the three persons who were nominated by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to sit as Commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) have resigned with immediate effect.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo informed the media that Commissioners Mohamood Shaw and Athmaram Mangar have already been replaced.

He thanked the two PPP/C representatives for their sterling contributions to the Commission and their representation of the Party at that level. Commissioner Mangar was appointed back in October 2013, while Commissioner Shaw was appointed by former President Jagdeo.

Jagdeo said that their contributions have been recognised at the level of the Party because of their value and the yeoman efforts associated with the task which was bestowed upon them.

The Opposition Leader announced that former Human Services Minister and longstanding PPP/C parliamentarian Bibi Shaddick and former Transport and Hydraulics Minister Robeson Benn have been identified to represent the Party at the Commission.

“I have already written President Granger on the matter,” Jagdeo said as he expressed the need for both Commissioners to be sworn in with dispatch by the new Head of State.

Questioned by the media as to whether the Commissioners were forced to resign, Jagdeo responded in the negative explaining that they resigned for personal reasons. “You can ask them why they resigned too,” he suggested.

Following the May 11 General and Regional Elections, Jagdeo had indicated a view to make sweeping changes at the level of the PPP and GECOM.

The PPP/C itself in a release confirmed that Guyanese could expect substantive changes at the level of the Commission as the Party had concerns about the questionable conduct, lack of professionalism and apparent lack of impartiality with which GECOM conducted its business at the last elections.

The lone Commissioner representing the Party until the two nominees are appointed is Attorney-at-Law Sase Gunraj. The Government-nominated Commissioners are Vincent Alexander, Sandra Jones and Charles Corbin.

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