Dear Editor,
At a time when it is being alleged that the APNU/AFC caretaker Administration has withdrawn $300 million from Lotto and has spent same on the printing of campaign paraphernalia, which is illegal if true, we are also learning that the same company, Canadian Bank Note Company (CBN) that owns Lotto here in Guyana and that usually prints our currency notes is also printing our ballot paper. In addition, while all of this is going on, we are further learning that our caretaker Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, has also been meeting CBN to discuss its monopoly in Guyana and the maximisation of their investments here. I am a little too old to believe in such grand coincidences. It is painfully obvious that the Government/APNU/AFC is desperate ahead of the March 2 polls and CBN, as we have learnt, owns Lotto, prints our currency and is now looking to expand its operations in Guyana. Is it me or is this the perfect setup for a quid pro quo?
I am past being surprised by our caretaker Government. I am, however, surprised that this Canadian company agreed to meet Jordan when it is clearly not the best time for them to be doing so. Jordan is a caretaker Finance Minister and has no authority to be discussing such matters. CBN must know that this is bad optics even if everything is above board.
It seems as if nothing concerning these elections is going to be simple and straightforward. I am peeved that even the printing of the ballot paper could be a potential risk area, adding to the already long list of risks ahead of these elections. In the future, we cannot use a company that is so heavily invested in Guyana to carry out a service, which should, for all intents and purposes, be done in a transparent manner by a neutral entity.
Sincerely,
Ravi Ram
