Former GECOM Chair’s illness was a “force majeure” – Commissioner Vincent Alexander
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Vincent Alexander, one of the Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), today said the unforeseen illness of former GECOM Chairman, (ret’d) Justice James Patterson last year, prevented the signing of an order to commence House-to-House Registration in December.
Vincent Alexander, one of the Commissioners of GECOM.
Speaking to a local online news agency today, the Commissioner Alexander related that while he agrees with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) that the elections body should always be on standby, there is something in the law called a ‘force majeure’.
This means that there are circumstances beyond one’s control preventing the natural course to be followed.
“The illness of Justice James Patterson, who had occupied the GECOM Chair post, prevented the signing of an order in December last to start the cycle of registration. That was beyond our control and made it impossible for us to do our work… So his illness was a ‘force majeure’ in that context,” the commissioner told the news agency.
Commissioner Alexander reminded that funding for House-to-House Registration only became available after the 2019 budget was passed. He stressed that it is imperative that the exercise is done. According to him, the claims and objections period comes in addition to registration and was never meant to be used as a replacement or instead of what is required.
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