The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was expected to meet today to deliberate the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield’s report in a bid to pave the way for the declaration of the March 2 General and Regional Elections, but that did not happen as two government-nominated Commissioners were absent.
Both Commissioners, Desmond Trotman and Charles Corbin were a no-show, GECOM officials confirmed.
The lone, present government-nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, did not say why his colleagues were absent. He said that he cannot speak on their behalf, and that the GECOM Chairperson, Justice (retired) Claudette Singh has been informed by the two officials of their reasons for not showing up.
As a consequence of their absence, there was a lack of quorum. Ultimately, the meeting was adjourned and set to reconvene tomorrow. The time set for that meeting was initially 13:00hrs but following Notice of Motion served to the GECOM Chair and the CEO set to be heard tomorrow at 13:00hrs, that meeting will no longer be held at that time.
Section 7 of the Constitution (Amendment) Act, No. 2 of 2000 provides for the quorum for a meeting of the Commission which shall be the Chairman and not less than four members of the Commission – two each appointed by the President and the Opposition respectively. If at any stage of a duly summoned meeting, a quorum is not present due to the absence of members without good cause to be determined by the Chairman, then the meeting is to be adjourned for two calendar days. If at the adjourned meeting there is still no quorum then, the members then present, being not less than four members including the Chairman, shall be deemed to be a quorum and any decision made at any such adjourned meeting shall be valid and binding.
