EXHIBIT 31.1
                                  Certification

I, Richard F. Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify that:

1.       I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-QSB of Gouverneur
         Bancorp, Inc.

2.       Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any
         untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact
         necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances
         under which such statement were made, not misleading with respect to
         the period covered by this quarterly report;

3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
         information included in the report, fairly present in all material
         respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows
         of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this
         quarterly report;

4.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
         establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
         defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and
         we have:

         a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that
         material information relating to the registrant, including its
         consolidated subsidiary, is made known to us by others within those
         entities, particularly during the period in which this quarterly report
         is being prepared;

         b) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
         and procedures as of June 30, 2003 (the "Evaluation Date"); and

         c) presented in this quarterly report our conclusions about the
         effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our
         evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

5.       The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based
         on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the
         audit committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons
         performing the equivalent function):

         a) all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal
         controls which could adversely affect the registrant's ability to
         record, process, summarize and report financial data and have
         identified for the registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in
         internal controls; and

         b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
         other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
         internal controls; and

         c) The registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated in
         this quarterly report whether or not there were significant changes in
         internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect
         internal controls during the quarterly period ended June 30, 2003,
         including any corrective actions with regard to significant
         deficiencies and material weaknesses.

DATE:  August 8, 2003

/s/ RICHARD F. BENNETT
---------------------------
RICHARD F. BENNETT
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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