Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, has categorically rejected allegations made by Alliance For Change (AFC) leader Nigel Hughes, who accused him of a conflict of interest regarding the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
In a letter addressed to GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, Hughes argued that Nandlall’s political affiliation and public stance should disqualify him from providing legal advice to the Commission ahead of the September 1 General and Regional Elections.
Minister Nandlall dismissed these claims as “misguided” and “politically motivated.” He clarified, “The attorney general is not the legal advisor of GECOM. Neither has the attorney general ever held himself out to be the legal advisor of GECOM.”
Nandlall explained that while his office has offered legal opinions to GECOM and other state agencies upon request, this does not imply a continuous advisory relationship. “The difference, subtle as it is, one would expect would be appreciated by a lawyer such as Mr. Hughes, but obviously, the nuance is lost upon him,” he stated.
He also highlighted that successive attorneys general have provided legal input to GECOM during politically sensitive periods, including the controversial 2020 elections. Citing precedent, Nandlall recalled that during the 2015–2020 electoral cycle, several GECOM commissioners sought legal opinions from the Attorney General’s Chambers without labeling the AG as GECOM’s legal advisor.
“The attorney general’s office recently responded to a formal request from GECOM regarding proposed amendments to the National Registration Act,” Nandlall noted. He emphasized that offering an opinion upon request does not equate to being the legal advisor for those agencies, asserting that such claims are part of a broader campaign to undermine public confidence in constitutional bodies like GECOM.
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