Boodoo confirmed as Chief Election Officer
Stabroek News
May 14, 2002
The Elections Commission has confirmed the appointment of Gocool Boodoo as Chief Election Officer and Commissioner of National Registration with effect from May 1, 2002. He has been acting in the two posts since January 2001 following the sudden illness and consequent death of then chief election officer, Stanley Singh.
A release from the Elections Commission said that his appointment was unanimously approved at its statutory meeting on April 10. Chief Justice Carl Singh administered the oaths of office to Boodoo on Friday.
The release said too that "given his vast knowledge and experience in election administration, acquired through his more than nine years attachment to GECOM, it is believed that Mr Gocool Boodoo's appointment as CEO will enhance the preparation for and administration of elections in Guyana, which will be widely accepted by all stakeholders as being free and fair."
It also quoted GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally as urging Boodoo to "continue to carry out your duties without fear or favour in order that your output would in no way be tarnished by any political party, other agency or person."
Before his elevation to the top post at the commission, Boodoo has served as Deputy Chief Election Officer (Administration) from August 1999 - December 2000; Asst. Commissioner (Administra-tion, Human Resources Development and Stores from September 1998 - August 1999; Senior Manager (Administration and Public Relations) from September 1997-August 1998; and Registrar, Region Three March 1996 - August 1997. Before that he served as Deputy Electoral Registrar/Returning Officer for the 1994 Local Government Elections.
The release said that Boodoo is the holder of a Master's degree in Education Psychology from Manchester University and is a member of the National Committee on Educational Research and a number of other bodies including the American Psychological Association, the Caribbean Education Research Association attached to the University of the West Indies. Boodoo is an executive member of the Association of Caribbean Electoral Organisations and Foreign Affiliate of the United Kingdom-based Association of Electoral Administrators. He was a member of the GECOM team that observed the December 2001 Parliamentary Elections in Trinidad and Tobago and of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) observer mission to the November 2001 presidential and national Elections.