“I have executed my Constitutional Duties” says Lowenfield
DPI, Guyana, Friday, June 26, 2020
Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield is making is clear that he has acted within the boundaries of the Constitution of Guyana.
Citing an article published in the Stabroek News date Jube 26, under the headline “Lowenfield report seen as clear act of insubordination” the CEO emphatically stated, “I have executed my constitutional duties.”
The article stated: “according to Guyana’s electoral laws the CEO is at all times subject to the control of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). In fact, Section 18 of the Elections Law (Amendment) Act of 2000 specifically states that “notwithstanding anything in any written law” the officer remains subject to the “direction and control of the Commission”.
CEO Lowenfield observed, “The source who articulated that position seems to have only read the Constitution in part conveniently and failed to recognise the sections that dictate the functions of the Chief Election Officer.”
He noted that the article suggests that he must only act as the commission instructs and flout the constitutional requirements.
The CEO underscored that “at all times, I have acted in conformity with the laws and therefore my action cannot be ‘seen as a clear act of insubordination’ as articulated in the ill-informed Stabroek News article.”
The final report submitted by the CEO, to the Chair of the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM), shows the APNU+AFC Coalition winning the March 2 General and Regional elections after the Court of Appeal ruled that only valid votes must be counted.
On Monday, June 22, the Appellate Court handed down its ruling which directed the GECOM to interpret the phrase “valid votes cast” in Article 177 (2) (b) to mean “more valid votes cast,” during the verification of the results of March 2, elections.