Dear Editor,
Many Guyanese at home and abroad are quite sceptical of the recount plan which is prepared by GECOM and soon to be Gazetted. This plan again leaves loopholes for fraudulent overtures and it once again proves that GECOM’s Chairperson is not interested in delivering a free, fair, transparent and credible elections and at each and every opportunity she has deliberately failed to make the timely and appropriate decision to ensure these vital qualities.
GECOM’s Chairperson, being a retired Judge, must know fully well the qualities which are required to ensure transparent and credible recounting of the votes cast over two months ago. During this long and disgraceful period, she had witnessed and heard all the concerns voiced by all the stakeholders including the local and overseas observers and should have been convinced of the need for the recount to be imbued with those acceptable qualities.
Instead, Justice (retd) Claudette Singh has once again, as is now expected, proven that she will do the biddings of the PNC. She has so far squandered each and every opportunity to deliver on her pledge to Guyanese and her constitutional and legal duties and responsibilities to our people.
The ‘decency and integrity’ of the coalition took another nosedive when they did not support the live stream of the recounting process when all the other political parties did. Why are they opposed to this measure if they are honest and want transparency? Will the security of the persons involved in the recounting be compromised when the Statements of Recount will have the names of the relevant persons? Why is the security of the ‘big’ players such as Lowenfield, Myers, Mingo and Singh not a major concern? The mumbled and stupid response by Patterson has done nothing to once again erase the now indelible and growing perception that the rigging of the 2020 elections in favour of the coalition is drawing closer.
Transparency at all levels is a must and I will totally agree with Commissioner Sase Gunraj when he unequivocally stated that “fraud festers where there is something to hide”. This is fully supported by ANUG’s Timothy Jonas. Jonas and Nandlall had further stated that Claudette Singh’s use of Section 90 of the Act to refuse live streaming is inapplicable. This yet another ploy by GECOM’s Chair to support the coalition in their quest to rig. Her ‘flip-flopping’ in favour of the coalition has now become her unique trademark!
Another treacherous display of trying to rig the recount is the fact the Carter Center has not been getting the caretaker Government’s approval to fly in for the recount. Why is the coalition deathly afraid of the Carter Center? The answer is simple. This organisation will not condone any form of rigging or attempts to do so since they had observed what took place during the tabulation of the Region Four votes at the Ashmins mall.
Indeed, the Carter Center has earned the respect of Guyanese citizens and political parties for decades. This should be extended to include the world at large. It must be recalled that it was the Carter Center which observed the 1992 elections which was won by the PPP and the PNC hardliners were grossly disappointed and had vowed that this will not be repeated.
Therefore, this deliberate exclusion will ensure that the electoral fraud by GECOM will go on smoothly since most likely the EU observers will not be here as well. The Caricom team is not adequate, to say the least, and will not be able to thwart or observe all the tricks by some GECOM mercenaries involved in the recount. The ABCE countries should no doubt question this deliberate exclusion.
In conclusion, there will be many more tricks and twists in this recount and all will be the handiwork of the GECOM trio, Singh, Lowenfield and Myers. The recount will be rigged! I have seen too much cunning and deceitful manoeuvring to believe otherwise. I wish I am wrong!
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf
