Dear Editor,
Some operatives at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) seem to be playing for time. In the last few days, we have witnessed a galore of GECOM advertisements in the widely circulated printed and social media. No doubt, players in the secretariat have been at the forefront of several suspicious activities without providing any clarification in the past, and remained silent even when relevant questions were asked. It leaves one pensive about the source of the directives, while the CEO and many under his control increasingly show that they had no care about transparency or the need to have policies acceptable to our citizenry.
In the lead-up to and after the March 2020 elections, key operatives within the GECOM staff at the Secretariat demonstrated regrettable defiance that even overwhelmed the constitutional requirements of the organisation. They openly usurped the role of the GECOM Commission while showing disrespect to anyone who dared to query as they manoeuvred every advantage with the support of the PNC Commissioners. There were certainly more questions than answers from the Commission and Secretariat as PNC Commissioners provided various irrational open-ended counter positions that defied reason.
Of course, there were some definitive interventions by Madam Claudette Singh who was appointed as the new Chairwoman, following the heavy damage allowed by Mr Granger’s unilateral appointee James Patterson, who had to be removed by the Caribbean Court of Justice.
The termination of what was becoming a very contaminated house-to-house exercise was certainly necessary and appropriately done. The expressed confidence in Lowenfield, however, proved to be almost fatal, as he imposed initially subtle manoeuvres which later became flagrant and outlandish.
Nevertheless, many other areas required interventions and clarity as CEO Keith Lowenfield did his ‘salsa dance’ to the drums of Vincent Alexander et al.
The now exposed fraudulent attempts demand a thorough clean up approach led by the Chairwoman and Commission. Such undertakings cannot be acceptably pursued in the presence of the now charged Secretariat employees. Aside from the ongoing court matters, the Guyanese nation is not aware of any reasonable remedial action being taken by the GECOM Commission. The position seems to be taken by GECOM that our people may soon forget the traumatic period of March to August 2020.
As evidence of the foregoing, several hefty advertisements are in the print media regarding contracts for things to be done at GECOM. The ‘million-dollar question’ on the streets, however, is in which hotel and bar would these contracts be awarded? It is quite distasteful and unbelievable that Keith Lowenfield and his cabal are still being allowed to be addressing the awarding of contracts at GECOM.
Further, all those who are before the courts must be sent on administrative leave, and consideration for replacement options considered. These people are not working, and are not at their desks, but at the same time they are accumulating annual leave.
Editor, everything regarding the failed coup in the 2020 National and Regional Elections must be fully ventilated. It is of course unprecedented that the CEO of the GECOM Secretariat would fail to produce his copies of the Statements of Poll. There has been the use of GECOM funds (not approved by the Commission) to pay legal fees protecting and defend irrational and frivolous challenges by the PNC to standard, precedent-based interpretations of our Constitution. GECOM also remained silent on the fearful blocking of the Carter Center from returning to Guyana to scrutinise the ‘Recount,’ and this must not be forgotten. Further, the genuine attempts to stop the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) initiative to resolve the issues surrounding the Elections must be uncovered.
Other critical observations and areas which merit a closer and detailed examination include the mysterious calls directing the Foreign Minister to throw out the observers, and the crude approach by the GECOM and PNC personnel to block the eminent local and international observers from overlooking the counting process. The issue of the Commissioner of Police certifying that hundreds of voters were out of the country, who turned up in their numbers to verify that they were legitimate voters on Election Day, is of significant concern. Very serious was the unavailability and disappearance of the Chairperson of GECOM and her locking up in a room at the Splashmins Building. Not least by any means are the financial irregularities connected to the payment of GECOM phantom staff that were paid to do the corrupt work that must be exposed.
Editor, the nation demands the truth, and there no longer are avenues for the contaminated to shield themselves with the veil of constitutional autonomy. Much has been overdone, and the organisation must be thoroughly cleaned before it is qualified to be veiled once again. It is now imperative that all GECOM-related events which took place from the 21st December 2018, and particularly within the last five months before the swearing in of Dr Irfaan Ali as President, are fully examined to ensure that appropriate systems are put in place to prevent Guyana from being exposed to such ordeals in the future.
The current status quo of playing forget and playing for time will not work!
Sincerely,
Neil Kumar
