Guyana Elections Commission Chairman, Justice (Retired) Claudette Singh is refuting comments purportedly made by Opposition Commissioner, Desmond Trotman, that she acceded to a request made by police for information on staffers without ascertaining reason for this solicitation.
Trotman said that Singh has been facilitating the handing over of these documents to aid in the persecution of members of staff. He also criticised her for not showing any willingness to take some line of action to protect her subordinates.
Trotman’s comments come against the backdrop of several Commission staffers being placed before the courts for alleged misdemeanor during the highly contentious March 2 General and Regional Elections.
But Singh said that Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force only requested Job Descriptions of staffers. Considering that this information is public, Singh said that she instructed the Human Resources Manager to provide Job Descriptions only to the police.
“As Chairperson of GECOM and a former Police Legal Advisor, I do not have the authority to interfere into the work of the Guyana Police Force nor any other Statutory Body and will always ensure that the best interest of the members of staff of GECOM are protected,” she said.
The Chairperson expressed dismay in Trotman’s utterance.
“It is regrettable that Commissioner Trotman will publicly admonish work of the Commission especially in light of the fact that he was present and a party to these discussions,” she said.
