Home Letters Guyana has entered the realm of political disgrace
Dear Editor,
I have made it pellucid in the past, as I would like to again in the present and always will futuristically: I am a lover of Guyana, and I, Hajji Roshan Khan, am a lover of all peoples of my country. Those narrow-minded thinkers can accuse that whatever I do I do for the benefit of my business, as many opportunistic business people normally do.
The politicians would know I have never asked anyone in politics for any favour, except maybe for an appointment to be able to serve those who are in need and those being abused by those appointed with power to assist the retirees and those in need.
At times in politics, you are even accused of racism, because you might not share a similar political position of persons with certain dirty hearts, and see everything in brown or black.
My heart broke when, as an Observer, I witnessed blatant skullduggery at the GECOM Secretariat in High Street.
The games, the lies, the fake illnesses; the trickery of seeing double and triple as if to pull wool over the eyes of brilliant ABCE Observers and high-level diplomats of various embassies, and those who were not there but observing from far away; for example, African Caribbean and Pacific Nations Association and India.
On March 2nd, 2020 to the morning of the 3rd and 4th, Guyana’s smoothness of practical election process in the infrastructure of what I would like to term as class administration and GECOM poured love and respect down on its officers, officials and general staff. The smiles of the returning officers and the general staff were so profound that one felt a sense of jubilation in the heart.
As an Observer travelling, and my colleagues as well, indicated similar kinds of experience throughout the country as we observed. It was truly hours of joy and excitement for all Guyanese, even as the counting started and all the regions were called.
But when it came to about forty percent (40%) of Region Four results, one could have witnessed in the faces of those who were obviously conspirators of deceit and evil at work with phones in their hands sending messages; the entire mindset changed, instructions were being passed to fabricate results and to play games as though there were zombie attacks with triple and quadruple vision. Suddenly, everyone working became tired.
There was no contingency plan in place, there were no beds set for backup ROs to sleep in GECOM’s headquarters, which was huge enough to facilitate same; nor hotels nearby to rest with proper meals; (nourishing meals were being provided for all observers, staffers and legal visitors). In the event of one of them being attacked by some spiritual force to cause double digit sights, or tiredness penetrated their consciousness, there were staff they could have turned to to ensure the count proceed in elegance and respect.
And because of this, Guyana has entered the realm of international disgrace and degradation. Once again, Guyana becomes a pariah nation in the Caribbean, where people are beginning to mock us as was the reality during the 60s and 70s and early 80s.
In conversation with fellow Observers locally and internationally, one could have seen the disappointment in their faces. Some were murmuring amongst us colleague Observers that they have never seen such behaviour and antics in any other country in the world, even those known to be more corrupt than Guyana.
The crescendo of national degradation commenced when the RO, along with the assistant, after many hours of delay and mental shenanigans, indicated that out of twenty-one polling places, seventeen were deemed unacceptable and were being cast aside without a count. Incidentally, those seventeen were areas where the Opposition, upon investigation, had garnered more votes than others in the country. This is what started to shake the hearts of Observers and party scrutineers started to tremble; except one party.
The Observers and the heads of the ABCE countries were in confusion as we witnessed the evil that was being perpetrated by GECOM obviously to favour the outcome of the results for some political force that they preferred. With these things happening, a patriot, a lover of the country, would start to see why certain officials were employed, why certain chairpersons were wanted, and why some other officials over the last few years were being replaced, and at times sent off with indignation with contracts not being renewed.
It was being said right there that certain persons were party hacks of a particular political party, who were being groomed for just this kind of scenario to take place. On one occasion the laptop with the data was stolen by a youthful RO, who was good with the use and possible manipulation of the computer, the flashdrive was also stolen clandestinely.
A word about invasion of which the presidential candidate of the PPPC was accused of entering with guns: I must mention the words in use; invasion and MOB. The presidential candidate was already there, and there was nobody there with guns. I put my neck on the block, and I would ask also why were those with guns not arrested at the secretariat? All these statements were being made to pacify supporters of a particular political affiliation, and possibly to create a true invasion mentality in the minds of those party loyalists.
When voices were being raised about an illegal declaration being made without 50% of the votes being counted, persons who were there protested by raising their voices. There was no mob, there was no invasion. I speak the truth from the depths of my heart, from which I say if I tell a lie, the Creator, Lord of the worlds, can suck my life out and destroy me. I know that for saying these words here today, sadly, some people would do the evil they did in the past in trying to wipe me out and destroy me in business. Such things I rest in the hands of God. For those who wave the hands of injustice, they will face the justice of the universe on themselves, and sadly maybe on siblings and offspring.
I beg God not to allow others to suffer the ripple effects of whatever injustice may be meted out to me in the future for the words I say here today, but I speak the truth from the depths of my heart.
The court case that was brought by Ms. Ulita Moore: one can see it was more than a Guyanese bringing a case against an institution. She is definitely a party candidate, and that in itself was a logistical error. My advice to them, as a layman in such things, is that an ordinary man, and not a party candidate, should have brought the case to stop CARICOM from doing the recount.
Friends and family around the world, I urge you to consider the fate our country would face, considering we are sanctioned by international bodies. Take our neighbouring Venezuela for example; sanctions reduced the public’s caloric intake, increased disease and mortality (for both adults and infants), and displaced millions of Venezuelans, who fled the country as a result of the worsening economic depression and hyperinflation.
Sanctions have inflicted very serious harm to human life and health, including an estimated more than 40,000 deaths from 2017-2018.
However, I do believe in light of the most recent court ruling, justice in my opinion has been dispensed well by the courts, and those who want to manipulate plans of God along with His universe must know that the Creator and His universe will stand for goodwill and justice at this juncture of Guyana’s history, from what I have seen and the little that I know of God and the universe. I am asking for those who are being biased to stop it, and let the universe reveal itself. What is for you, you will get.
Sincerely,
Hajji Dr Roshan Khan
(Sr)