GECOM Chair contacts Police Commissioner on APNU/AFC’s absent voters claims

Georgetown: Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice Ret’d Claudette Singh has written Commissioner of Police Leslie James requesting information on allegations made by APNU+AFC that citizens  who were out of the country were ticked off on polling stations lists as having voted on March 2nd, 2020.

The letter stated: “The APNU/AFC is alleging that persons whose names and dates of birth appear on the list attached had migrated and could not have exercised their franchise on March 2, 2020. In this regard I shall be grateful if you will be so kind as to cause the Immigration Department to verify whether these persons were out of the country on March 2, 2020. The respective polling divisions and stations where these persons allegedly voted are also identified on the list. The Commission would wish this matter to be urgently addressed.”

The letter with names to the Top Cop who is also the Chief Immigration Officer was not discussed with PPP nominated commissioners but was only released to the political parties on Sunday, May 31 after APNU+AFC nominated GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander made the revelation on Friday, May 29.

Presidential Candidate of the LJP Lenox Shuman expressed concerned with the decision taken by the Chairperson.

“We are very very concerned that Madam Chair is going down a very very slippery slope,” Shuman said.

Underscoring that the Commissioner of Police was not contacted when it was discovered that Returning Officer of Region Four, Clairmont Mingo was accused of inflating the figures in this region to give the coalition a victory in the elections, Shuman said “If you’re looking for wrongdoing also, what we have seen in this recount is that Mr Mingo’s numbers were completely flawed, inflated but yet there has been no attempt made to address that issue.”

He continued: “We’re curious to know if Madam Chair is going to ask the Police to come and conduct a criminal investigation into the conduct of Mr Mingo and whoever else his cohorts maybe.”

Presidential Candidate of the LJP Lenox Shuman

Additionally, Shuman accused the Commissioner of Police Leslie James of showing clear biases in his actions and lack thereof in the aftermath of the elections.

“The elections Commission has asked a Government entity that is contesting these elections to provide evidence that pretty much should verify the information that they themselves are presenting. If you look at who the person is that is in charge of Immigrations, it is Winston Felix. He is political operative. Mr Leslie James himself, he has shown a bit of bias in our view,” the LJP Presidential candidate said.