Dear Editor,
The announcement made by the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission retired Justice Claudette Singh that her Commission and Secretariat would be ready to hold elections by February month-end 2020 must not only be rejected by all right-thinking Guyanese but those within the diaspora and further afield that believe in the supremacy of our Constitution.
Sadly, by making this announcement, Justice Singh has now proven by her actions on Tuesday (I doubt deliberately) that partisan politics, political rhetoric and political gamesmanship are all superior to the spirit and letter of the Constitution.
In fact, by adopting the diabolic plan of the Government Commissioners to further delay these elections, GECOM has now thrown any hope of Constitutional Compliance following the impact of the No-Confidence Motion, which was successfully passed in the National Assembly, out the door. GECOM, and the stubborn A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change coalition Government have now placed themselves above the law and Constitution of Guyana.
But if the APNU/AFC coalition and their political as well as public relations pundits see this as a huge victory, they are gravely mistaken. History has shown that any Government that holds on to power by trampling on the rights and fundamental democratic freedoms of its people usually suffer embarrassing defeats at any free and fair elections where there are International Observers and third-party safeguards with checks and balances in place to avoid the manipulation of results or the electoral system.
The truth is, Mr Granger has now become a lesser filtered version of Venezuela’s Nicholas Maduro. He has played every trick in the books to govern for a full five years despite the will of the people as demonstrated through their representatives in Parliament. Make no mistake about it, on September 18, 2019, Mr Granger’s status as a cCaretaker President expired and any mandate that he was given back in 2015 to govern was also thrown out the door once the December 21, 2018 NCM took effect. He is now an illegal President and usurper. He, nor his illegally-constituted Cabinet, possess the legal or Constitutional authority to govern this country until February next year, especially when a sober-minded Opposition PPP has made it clear it will not return to Parliament to grant any extension.
These conclusions should not be seen as a direct attack on the person or performance of Justice Singh, as she inherited this nasty and toxic situation from her illegally appointed predecessor and three Commissioners who were only executing political mandates above the electoral oaths of office which they took. My frustration is high because I expected better from her.
As a Guyanese youth and Journalist, this is a most disheartening situation. I feel that our political leaders have failed us and have set a dangerous precedent following the passage of the NCM. But I feel now, more than ever, that Mr Granger is single-handedly responsible for the levels of uncertainty and confusion that are permeating all sections of our society. While many are surprised, I am not. He did say that he believes in the legacy and ideology of Forbes Burnham and he comes from a party with a history of noncompliance with the Constitution as far as the conduct and outcome of elections are concerned.
Even though the dark days have returned, it cannot be business as usual. Guyanese youths must sound their voices and boycott all events attended by Mr Granger and his team of ministerial usurpers. Business owners must distance themselves and safeguard their financial interests as the current Govt can offer them no guarantee of protection of their investments. Permanent Secretaries and other public office holders have no duty to follow any instructions from these usurpers. And the media, are not duty bound to provide any meaningful coverage to Government events.
Granger has lost all integrity and decency in the eyes of right-thinking youths and young professionals. Every time he has breached the Constitution or is about to do so, he claims he is following advice and upholding the Constitution. His leadership has become cancerous and toxic, he must step down or step aside.
Elections ought to be held this year, because if he can refuse to follow the Constitution, the ordinary man may be tempted to follow suit. I urge, however, that good sense prevails and Mr Granger understands sooner or later than he will have to face the same folks he has been running from since last year.
He acted too foolishly and desperately when he underestimated the power of our ballots. Power truly corrupts ‘good’ men.
