Opposition has demeaned GECOM chair selection process-Prime Minister Nagamootoo

DPI, Guyana, Friday, October 27, 2017

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has described as “unfortunate” the Opposition’s tactic of incorporating race and age in their criticism of Justice James Patterson’s appointment as the new Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman.

Speaking on Thursday, afternoon in the National Communications Network’s (NCN) studio, the Elder Stateman took a swipe at “those politicians who are seeking to vilify Justice Patterson on those grounds, particularly that of race.”

He said, “[This] is something that is hurting our politics, is hurting Guyana that we can do this intervention to look at race and age…the race was brought in, because when Justice James Patterson was named, appointed and sworn-in, immediately you see on Facebook, the gutter propaganda.”

The Prime Minister expressed disgust that the Opposition machinery has demeaned the selection process, bringing it to level that can cause “division, ranker, bitterness, fear [and] insecurity.” He noted that” politicians who are fueling the campaign, are cognisant of the repercussions.”

PM Nagamootoo said while general elections are constitutionally due in 2020, Local Government Elections are carded for 2018 and some $2 million has been set aside to begin house to house registration and other preparations for LGE. Electoral officers will also have to be appointed, highlighting the need for a fully functional Commission.

“You need the Commission to be in place with a Head. You can’t sacrifice the democratic right of the Guyanese people to change their government or to change their local government authorities just on the whims and fancy of a politician, who like a spoilt brat didn’t have his person in place and decided he gon bruck up everything”, he said.

The Prime Minister believes that the opposition does not have the interest of the Guyanese people at heart. Rather the “end game” is to have someone placed at the helm of GECOM to ensure that Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo secures a third-term as President.

According to Prime Minister Nagamootoo, there is an obsession by Jagdeo to get back into presidential office, because Guyana is on the verge of a new bountiful era of oil wealth and “as one writer said, he is salivating after the oil wealth where he can preside.”

Jagdeo’s politics of cronyism is at the heart of his obsession of who is the GECOM Chairmanship. “A new Guyana is in the making and people have started to resuscitate their hope and confidence in this society, so he wants to destabilise it”, the Prime Minister said.

 

By: Stacy Carmichael