Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, has defended his role and clarified his relationship with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), following claims that he is acting as the Commission’s legal advisor.
During his weekly “Issues in the News” commentary aired on Tuesday night, Nandlall responded to a letter sent by AFC leader Nigel Hughes to GECOM. In the letter, Hughes reportedly objected to Nandlall’s legal involvement in matters concerning the electoral body, claiming that the Attorney General is inappropriately offering legal advice to GECOM — a body meant to operate independently from the government.
Nandlall dismissed the accusation as “misguided” and “politically motivated,” saying, “Permit me to clarify for the public: the Attorney General is not the legal advisor to GECOM, nor have I ever held myself out to be.”
He explained that the Attorney General is the state’s principal legal officer and serves as the government’s chief legal advisor. As such, the office often provides legal opinions to a variety of state agencies — including GECOM — when requested.
“There is a subtle but important distinction between being the legal advisor of GECOM and being a legal resource to GECOM,” Nandlall noted. “Any lawyer — especially one of Mr. Hughes’ experience — should be able to understand that difference.”
Nandlall revealed that over the years, including during the APNU/AFC’s time in government between 2015 and 2020, GECOM commissioners regularly sought legal opinions from the Attorney General’s Chambers. He challenged current commissioners to deny that such engagements occurred.
“I distinctly recall during the 2020 elections — long after March 2nd — government-appointed commissioners visited the Attorney General’s compound seeking legal guidance on Order 60,” he said, referencing the controversial order that sought to guide the resolution of the election impasse.
According to Nandlall, GECOM’s current Chief Election Officer (Ag) recently wrote to his office requesting legal clarification on amendments to the National Registration Act and the Representation of the People Act. “That is all that happened,” he said.
He made it clear that his legal opinions do not override or usurp the authority of independent agencies. “The fact that I offer an opinion — even unsolicited — does not make me their legal advisor. My views, like any others, are subject to scrutiny, debate, and rejection,” Nandlall added.
The Attorney General accused the AFC of manufacturing controversy for political gain, stating, “These false narratives only serve to confuse the public and damage the credibility of constitutional institutions.”
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