Several apply for top GECOM posts
L-R Goocool Boodhoo, Vishnu Persaud, Omar Shariff, Aneal Giddings and Saphier Husain
About 16 persons are vying for the post of Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission. Some 40 persons have applied for the post of Deputy Chief Elections Officer.
The Guyana Elections Commission had posted vacancies for several posts which also included Assistant CEO, a Legal Officer. Logistics Manager and Civic and Voter Education Manager.
Sources told this publication that several persons applied for the post of CEO.
These include former CEO Goocool Boodhoo, lawyer and leader of the National Independent Party Saphier Husain, former Permanent Secretary Omar Shariff, former GECOM PRO Vishnu Persaud and current IT manager at GECOM Aneal Giddings.
This publication understands that out of the 16 persons who have applied at least two are not Guyanese nationals and reside out of Guyana.
Now that the application process is closed the Guyana Elections Commissions are expected to meet to discuss the shortlisting of applicants for several posts.
This publication understands that among the proposals for this stage of the process is for an independent panel to interview the candidates for senior positions like the CEO and DCEO positions.
We have been told that this proposal is yet to be considered.
There are strong arguments calling for such an independent panel in the face of a divided commission made up of political appointees as well as allegations of bias.
Several senior posts including those of CEO and DCEO became vacant when GECOM opted not to renew the contracts for Keith Lowenfield and Roxanne Myers.
Both the former CEO, DCEO and several staffers are before the courts charged in relation to the 2020 General and Regional Elections.
