The efforts of the Guyana Elections Commission Chair, Claudette Singh, to probe complaints of voting irregularities which were made by the APNU+AFC faction, is not only a dangerous alleyway for her reputation, but also proves she is running the body like a circus. Hurling this stern criticism at the retired judge in his most recent writings was Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram.
The lawyer recalled that the Chair had written to the Commissioner of Police, Leslie James, on May 22, last, informing him that allegations are being made by the APNU+AFC that hundreds of Guyanese who cast their vote during the March 2 General and Regional Elections had actually migrated. On this note, she asked the Commissioner to cause the Immigration Department to verify whether those persons were out of the country on March 2. According to the letter seen by the Guyana Standard, a list with the names in question was provided to the Commissioner of Police.
Ram was keen to note however that there is a peculiar development in the fiasco that one must not lose sight of. In this regard, he noted that it was APNU+AFC’s GECOM commissioner Vincent Alexander who first revealed to the media that Singh was looking into the allegations. PPP/C Commissioner Sase Gunraj subsequently told the media that he was not aware of this decision by Singh nor was he aware that the APNU+AFC had officially given her any correspondence to investigate the matter. Taking this into consideration, Ram said one must ask if Alexander is either Singh’s confidante or she is his poodle.
Ram also contended that the investigation of any allegation is a matter for the seven-person Commission, and not as Singh thinks, a one-person dictatorship. He opined that in doing otherwise, the GECOM Chair is hurting her reputation.
The foregoing circumstances also leaves Ram saddled with the conclusion that Singh is leading the electoral body like a circus. To cement his perspective, Ram said, “APNU collaborated with its illegal MP and Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix to obtain from the Immigration Department, travel information of certain persons on the Official List of Electors. With the information thus obtained, APNU passed the information to its agents in the recount.”
“Then the information finds its way on the Observation Reports which are then passed to the Chief Election Officer. Confident that the information now forms part of the records of GECOM, election agent Joseph Harmon then writes Singh officially while issuing threats and dog whistles publicly.”
To complete the literally vicious circle, Ram noted that Singh then writes the Chief Immigration Officer asking him to confirm the information of which he is the source.
With the foregoing in mind, Ram said one can only conclude that the circus is in town. He warned however that the very circus is treading on dangerous ground since the investigation of any errors, flaws or deficiencies concerning the results of elections are for the exclusive jurisdiction of the High Court by way of an election petition.
As a retired judge, Ram contended that Singh ought to know better and act accordingly. He is of the firm conviction that it will not end well for Singh’s reputation if she does not allow good sense and the law to prevail.
