The PNC is at it again. And that could mean only one of two things after 1992: they’re either in the streets creating mayhem after losing elections, or screaming about conspiracy theories of the PPP plotting to rig elections. Never mind that their inaugural post-1997 contention was shown – by a “forensic audit” conducted by an eminent Trini jurist – to be a figment of their imagination. And here it is, after all sortsa inquiries, inquests and post-mortems, that the three Opposition Commissioners have cussed out the GECOM Chair – real stink and dutty – for approving two new officials of the Secretariat: a Civic and Voter Education Manager and a Logistics Manager.
Now, a behaviour pattern like this, spanning decades and numerous changes in personnel, has gotta be coming from some place deep in the collective PNC psyche. And it does. Fact of the matter is, the PNC rigged for so long – and so creatively!! – since 1968, that its officials and members can’t believe ANY party can win elections without rigging!! So, presenting evidence to the contrary – like showing that the voter education official can’t possibly help in any rigging – doesn’t cut any ice!!
Remember when the PNC Education Officer was in charge of educating all GECOM agents during elections to allow underage PNC members to vote?!! The Logistics Officer would remind them of 1973, when the GDF was given the logistical role of collecting all ballots boxes and transporting them to Base Camp Ayanganna for “counting”!! Or, more to the point – substituting already filled-in ballots!!
The question of how the PPP could rig when they – the present Opposition – were in power and in control of the GECOM just draws blank stares!! They can’t say HOW it was done, but still contend it WAS done. OK!! But we can learn something about our past from the Opposition Commissioners’ present line of questioning. On doubting the professionalism of the Chairman of GECOM – even one whom THEY proposed – like the incumbent Justice Claudette Singh – goes all the way back to the inaugural 1968 rigging by Burnham, when he controlled the Chairman, Justice Bollers, like a marionette on a string!!
Demands that the voters’ list be “cleaned”?? That goes back to Burnham creating the National Register of Registrants (NRR), controlled by his people in the GRO back in 1967, from which the list would be extracted. No one could check the veracity of the source NRR!! They demand “Biometrics” – even though the PNC would have their agent at every polling station to confirm the person attempting to vote corresponds to the picture on the ID Card?? Well, ever since that election in 1968, when the PNC was in power, it was shown that even horses could vote!! Biometric THAT!!
…for “outside” interference??
The Opposition parties keep cussing out the PPP something nasty – an “illegally- installed cabal” is the mildest – ever since their fingers were pried from the ship of state’s steering wheel in Aug 2020!! And who installed the PPP?? Even though the whole world condemned their outrageous rigging attempt, they jumped on the US and US Ambassador Sara-Ann Lynch!! They lobbied frantically to get her fired and the PPP unseated, to no avail!!
But even though they condemned the claimed “regime change”, they’ve been working assiduously for the US to oust the PPP!! In the past three years, they’ve been traipsing to the US with alarming regularity to rstle up funds for their 2025 campaign, and, also not so incidentally, to make their calls on Capitol Hill to denounce the big, bad, anti-black, racist PPP and plead for its removal!!
But to what end?? On their outrageous accusations, do they really believe the US won’t ask, “Where’s the beef?”
…for GECOM trial
Well, at long last, a new magistrate’s been selected for the “Case of the Purloined SOPs” by the GECOM 9 – the asst Chief Magistrate herself. Hope no spell’s gonna be cast on her after they “wuk pon she”!!
