The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) says that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has a Constitutional mandate and duty to dismiss the Chief Election Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield for his elections report he submitted to the Commission which departs from what was required of him by the GECOM Chairperson, Justice (Retired) Claudette Singh.
In a statement to the media moments ago, the party regarded the report as an “final fraudulent act”.
It noted that Article 162(1)(b) of the Constitution adequately empowers the Commission to, “issue such instructions and take such actions as appear to it necessary or expedient to ensure impartiality, fairness and compliance with the provision of this Constitution or any Act of Parliament on the part of persons exercising powers or performing duties connected with” the Electoral Process.
Further, Article 161 (a) provides, “the Elections Commission shall be responsible for the efficient functioning of the Secretariat of the Commission, which shall comprise the officers and employees of the Commission, and for the appointment of all the staff to the offices thereof inclusive of all temporary staff, recruited for the purposes of boundary demarcation, registrations of persons and elections and shall have the power to remove and to exercise disciplinary control over such staff.”
The Representation of the People Act defines an Election Officer as:
“ (a) the Chief Election Officer,
(b) the Deputy Chief Election Officer
(c) a returning officer;
(d) a deputy returning officer;
(e) an election clerk;
(f) a presiding officer;
(g) a poll clerk;”
Therefore, GECOM has a constitutional mandate and duty to dismiss Lowenfield forthwith, for his fraudulent conduct, his dereliction from duty and his “vile insubordination” and to immediately appoint another Chief Elections Officer to carry out its directions contained in its various letters to Lowenfield, the party said.
