By: SASE Singh; M.Sc. – Finance, ACCA.
Chosen lawyers have been paid a sum of more than G$60 million in aggregate so far from the taxpayers’ resources to advocate for a case that is totally bereft of constitutional logic. Fortunately, Guyana still has some well-read Judges with the right level of integrity, who are singularly committed to the rule of law and nothing else. The ruling by the Chief Justice (ag.) clearly embraces the spirit and intent of Guyana’s Constitution. One of her rulings debunked such irrational underpinnings like 34 rather than 33 is a majority of the 65 in reference to the National Assembly.
Welcome to Guyana, where a ruling oligarchy is struggling to explain its delusional positions. What is now absolutely sure is that the mask has fallen, and what the people thought they were voting for in 2015 is no longer there. All the rhythm of “let us co-operate” has been replaced by anti-democratic actions and legal theatrics all focused at procrastinating the acceptance of the rule of law, and with much help from GECOM, who seem very unaware of their responsibilities.
All this for what? Political power through the back door, using a unilaterally appointed GECOM Chairman as your pawn? Why fight for back door access when the front door was fully opened to you by the people in 2015? Did you not win an elections freely and fairly at the ballot box? So why did you not rule fairly and justly, rather than propagate a model that was fuelled by ethnic supremacy, jobs only for Congress Place members, and contracts only for family and friends? After all of this administrative misconduct, do you still expect the majority of people to stand by you?
Dr Ramharack, in a letter the editor, pointed out the fact on how the distribution of scholarships was abused in the last three years. He also alluded to the fact that over G$2 billion in agriculture projects were bequeathed to areas that are perceived to be PNC strongholds. At the same time, you fired 7,000 sugar workers, who are perceived as the core support base of the PPP. I might add from my own research that you appointed 16 of the 17 Permanent Secretaries from one group over the last three years, and shut out the other groups. To compound your public acts of ethnic supremacy and triumphalism, you also appointed some 85 per cent of the Heads of Department from that same group. With such actions in a nation where 39 per cent are Indo-Guyanese, 29 per cent are Afro-Guyanese, 21 per cent are Mixed, and 11 per cent are Amerindians, do you expect the majority to endorse your positions?
The resistance to Team Granger has now spread to every corner of the country and every socioeconomic class. One important reason for this situation is that social media has provided a totally new outlet for the dissemination of information that no government can control.
The time is now for civil society to lobby the diplomatic community, so that they can accelerate their international assistance to ensure that Guyana returns to the path of a peaceful democracy. History has shown us that behind every statement from the US Government, there are more than just words. Senor Maduro in Venezuela is about to find out this fact. Let us hope, for the PNC’s sake, good sense prevails. The irrefutable fact remains that Guyana isn’t divided, it is just the political players who are making this out this way with their statements, such as “the only people I gun give wuk to is PNC people”.
Finally, I saw civil society, in a press statement on February 16, 2019, calling on the Leader of the Opposition and former President Jagdeo “to meet and work together with Granger to find a solution”. This is an unfortunate statement, since it acts as an incentive to the bully who is trampling on the Constitution. Is the Civil Society Group suffering from Stockholm Syndrome? It is time we have some bravery from this lot. They must call a spade a spade. There should be only a conditional dialogue to discuss the date of the elections. If the elections date is not the number one item on the agenda, no dialogue for Granger. FULL STOP!
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