President Irfaan Ali today appointed members of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Integrity Commission of Guyana without the required constitutional consultations with the leader of the opposition. A recent statement from the leader of the opposition read, “The letter of Friday, 27th day of May, 2022, which extended an invitation from the President to resume in person Consultations on Monday, 30th day of May, 2022, was received late in the evening of the 27th day of May, 2022. The Leader of the Opposition was unavailable to accept the aforesaid invitation having regard to certain commitments and a pressing schedule.” The statement went on to say that, “The Opposition continues to point out that it is not yet in receipt of the grounds upon which each specific recommendation for appointment which is the subject of the consultation are being made. ”
Despite the issues raised by the leader of the opposition, President Ally proceeded with the swearing in of members of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Integrity Commission. In a press statement, the head of state shared, “As President, I have the confidence that the people appointed today, the Guyanese appointed today, not only have the skills but the character to execute the duties that they are called upon to execute.”
The members of the Integrity Commission include Mrs Chandra Gajraj who has been elected as chair of the five-member Integrity Commission; the team also includes Dr Jocelin Kim Kyte-Thomas, Mohamed Ispahani Haniff, Hardesh Tewari and Wayne Bowman, who were sworn in by Chief Magistrate (ag) Judy Latchman.
Meanwhile, Bishop Patrick Findlay was sworn in as chair of the four-member Police Service Commission that also includes Mark Conway, Hakeem Mohamed and Ernesto Choo-a-Fat. Mohamed, who was not present today, is expected to take his oath at a later date.
The names for the PSC, President Ali outlined, were already approved by the National Assembly, therefore, as President, he had no discretion on those names. Members of both commissions will serve for a period of three years. Also present were the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, the Honourable Anil Nandlall and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, the Honourable Gail Teixeira.
