A ‘dark day’ has arrived in Guyana compliments of President Granger

Dear Editor,
October 19, 2017 was a day of infamy in the annals of Guyana’s history.  It follows that game plan of a previous such declaration made on December 14, 1974.  In 1974, the then political dictator Forbes Burnham formally declared that the role of the PNC party was unapologetically “paramountcy over the Government, which is merely one of its executive arms”.
That one senseless and selfish declaration created more than a decade of economic, social and political chaos for all Guyanese, including the Burnham family. Are we at exactly this same point now in 2017?  Is a burgeoning dictator, Mr David Arthur Granger, trying to reinvent those 1974 attitudes? Are the decisions made in Congress Place more important than the welfare of the State today, so much so that the State is merely an executive arm of the PNC?  But what about the voices of what is left of the AFC and WPA?
This dastardly act from the Granger regime was pre-planned from weeks ago, and thus the act of asking for more names was just a charade.  But the charade was an act of gross indecency and slyness on the part of the players who were asking for more names.
I must recognise the willingness of the PPP to submit new names in order to subscribe to the principle of democracy.
I was particularly excited at the inclusion of the name Lawrence Latchmansingh, who has been a UN man most of his life, exclusively working around the world in the area of elections management, conflict resolution, and peace-building and so on.  Mr. Latchmansingh is as bipartisan and fair-minded as you can get in Guyana.
My second choice was, of course, the very experienced Major General (Rtd) Joe Singh who already served in the role, and thus would have jumped right in and delivered the local government elections in short order.  I can find no living judge in Guyana who can do a better job at elections management than these two gentlemen; none whatsoever.
So a grave injustice has been imposed on the nation by a very unfit and improper Mr. Granger.
In light of such grave unrighteousness, we must not roll over and run, but strengthen our resolve for the fight back.  The Granger regime has made its move, but it was not a surprise offensive against the Guyanese people.  Many knew this was what was going to happen because the nature of the beast is the same old PNC. I was surprised because I was expecting some level of decency from Mr. Granger, but I was wrong.
This unilateral appointment of Mr. James Patterson speaks for itself. The people of Guyana have already formed their opinion; and, over the coming days, thousands of others will do the same.  I am convinced that the overwhelming majority of my nation would understand the very existence of the nation is at risk just like it was after that Sophia Declaration in 1974.  We must have no doubt about it: there is, around Mr. Granger, a small cabal that is committed to a programme of putting Guyana firmly on a slippery slope to another period of dictatorship.  Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!
It shall not happen, because sons of Guyana like me will not let it happen; and we have so many more tools at our disposal today compared to our foreparents in 1974.  Just look at the shellacking social media is giving the unfit and improper Granger regime these days.
Now fully aware of this reality, the time is now when we all must band together for a collective fight-back.  This is not a PPP vs. PNC struggle; this is a battle between righteous Guyana vs. an unrighteous Guyana. This is a battle for the souls of a people who are overwhelmingly supporters of the rule of law and good governance. This struggle had nothing to do with race, religion, ethnicity or gender; it has everything to do with the principle of putting Guyana back on the path that adheres to transparency in public action and public decency in decision-making.
In that regard, I call on all Guyanese to individually — in their own little way — commence a period of non-cooperation with this Granger dictatorship, just like Gandhi and Mandela did; peaceful but firm.  The collective fight-back has to start now.
We in the main diaspora centers have a big job to sensitise our Senators and House Members (Washington DC), Members of Parliament (Ottawa and London) of the plight of the people who are in the trenches of Guyana.  This is a partnership between the locals and the diaspora that is designed to connect and serve the people of Guyana.
A ‘dark day’ has arrived in Guyana, compliments of Mr. David Arthur Granger.  But do not despair, collectively we can overcome this evil.  Individually we all must light a candle, a diya and a lamp for democracy in our minds by systematically rejecting this Granger regime at every opportune moment.
The first thing that is critical is that the business community and the workers’ unions must call for a national day of rest all across Guyana. It can be done; it must be done; it shall be done!

Regards,
Sase Singh