Dear Editor,
As the recount progressed on day one, a realization of what we are engaged in hit home with some force: Guyanese are once again counting votes at a central location, as we did during the Burnham era. The counting of votes at the place of poll and the posting of statements outside after the count has been concluded were done to prevent electoral fraud. In 2020, we have effectively abandoned that process, and are back to the old system; so much for the Rule of Law.
Bypassing or ignoring the law has become the new norm under David Granger’s presidency, and we are a much poorer people for it. There will be no run for the court steps by political parties who recognise that there are breaches of the law, for the judicial system has declared that laws and the Constitution are only as good as the empowered actors; a rotten president spoils the whole barrel.
Isabelle De Caires wrote on 1st May that we cannot build a nation without trust: “Trust in government, trust in public institutions, trust in public office holders, trust in each other. Trust is the thread that binds our social fabric. It has been depleted, almost to vanishing point, by the events of the last six weeks (some would say 18 months)”.
This is worth repeating, for when this count is over, a nation will have to be built, and actors who can be trusted will be vital to that process, but they are in woefully short supply.
Guyana is like Humpty Dumpty, delicately poised on a wall, one slip and we become broken past the point where all the King’s horses and all the King’s men are of any use.
Respectfully,
Robin Singh
