Myers to act as CEO as Lowenfield proceeds on more than 140 days leave

Controversial Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Roxanne Myers, will assume the duties of CEO as Keith Lowenfield proceeds on annual leave.
GECOM sought to clear up the misconception that Lowenfield was ordered to proceed on leave by the Chair, Ret’d Justice, Claudette Singh, as was reported in a recent news article.
In a statement, the Commission stated that “For the sake of clarity, it should be noted that Mr. Keith Lowenfield applied on 1st September, 2020 for his accumulative 2016 – 2019 annual leave totaling 146 days.”
GECOM said that Lowenfield’s request was approved by the Chairperson and his leave commenced on September 7 last. Lowenfield is due back to work on January 30 next year.

Justice Singh was quoted in the aforementioned article as stating that the DCEO will now assume Lowenfield’s role to assist in the preparations for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE).But while the Commission addressed that issue, it remained mum on the calls for Lowenfield, Myers and contentious District Four Returning Officer (RO) to be removed before the LGE process commences.
The latest push came from the Private Sector Commission (PSC) against the officials and others who all have pending criminal matters in the court for their involvement in the protracted March 2, 2020 elections.
“It is unthinkable and certainly unacceptable that GECOM should proceed to conduct Local Government Elections while these officers remain employed and involved in the conducting of these elections,” their statement said.

The PSC call triggered a response from leader of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition Opposition, Joseph Harmon.
“The APNU+AFC is not surprised but is astonished that the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is now openly advocating the PPP regime’s position and calling for the removal of certain members of staff of the Elections Commission using the trumped up charges against them as the pretext to get rid of them. This is wicked and unacceptable. The APNU+AFC condemns this type of political posturing by the PSC. It is apposite to remind the PSC that the rule of law must prevail and that these persons are presumed as innocent until proven guilty,” Harmon said in a statement.

While the government is committed to upholding its promise for LGE next year, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, echoed similar sentiments as the PSC at a press conference last month where he made it clear that “criminal elements” from GECOM must be removed.
“We have no confidence with criminals running the system. And so, we’re expecting that the Commission will get rid of the criminals. They don’t need any evidence. The whole country knows that these are criminal types who tried to steal the elections and put this country through trauma. They cannot run any election, and I hope that the Chair of the Commission now has to fight against the criminals. And so, there have to be changes there, that’s what we want,” the VP had said.