Jul 24, 2020
The three Opposition Commissioners have jointly condemned the “scurrilous” attacks on the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh.
“While Commissioners may not always agree with the Chairman,” the Opposition team said, “she has always discharged her duties with professionalism, fairness and impartiality, and in keeping with the tenets of the Constitution and other legal provisions.”
Recently, the GECOM Chair has been faced with vile attacks for the firm position she has taken in rejecting the fraudulent reports presented by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, in favour of the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) and insisting that only the recount figures be presented to the Commission for the purposes of a declaration of final elections results.
Those actions have also coupled with what has been condemned by observers, including the United Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, as gross disrespect for the Chair; this includes slanderous postings by supporters on social media and a mock funeral for Singh, held by APNU+AFC supporters in front of State House, one in which a miniature effigy was placed in a coffin and kicked.
One PNCR Executive, Aubrey Norton, had written an opinion editorial to state that the Chair is “digging a hole for herself”.
The Commissioners have, moreover, called upon those engaged in such conduct, including the senior members of the APNU+AFC, to cease and desist from so doing.
Head of the party, President David Granger, was asked to specifically condemn these attacks on the Chair; however Granger had refused, saying only that the attacks were not “a policy” of his administration.