Dear Editor,
Thank you for the opportunity to express my voice for the hearing and consideration of your wide audience. The support this media outlet continuously provides and encapsulates the rational acceptance and wisdom endowed in the words of Martin Luther King who contends that “Our Lives begin to end, the day we become silent about things that matter!”
Less we desire to diminish ourselves individually and collectively as a people among nations, we must not remain silent when the very serious matters associated with the blatant attempts to steal power, derail our democratic principles and throw Guyana off a precipice at the whims and fancy of those who played key roles. It is anticipated, therefore, that many will continue to come forward and provide testimony of the willful actions within and from behind the scenes, coupled with the glaring abuse of laws and procedures that many involved in the attempted coup orchestrated.
President Ali’s move to ensure the commencement of a highly accredited State Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the antecedents of the flagrant and contrived, thieving, rigging, and denial of the truth is on point and in keeping with the spirit and intent of the Commissions of Inquiries Act Cap 19.03. Indeed, Guyana and the world deserve to know the truth and these ongoing inquiries are instrumental to ensuring an environment in which people can provide the facts without fear of suppression that would have otherwise been a significant threat if the thieving cohorts had succeeded.
It is accepted that the findings and recommendations of the COI are not enforceable for the imposition of penalties and cannot bind courts considering the subject matter. Notwithstanding, it is anticipated that the impartial fact-finding undertaking will provide the scope for informed rational conclusions. These will also provide exposure to the truth regarding the roles played by those known and various others in the abhorrent and unholy suppression attempt on the Guyanese people who must continue to unite in our struggle for free and fair elections. Further, the world would know the truth and our citizens would be more aware of the existing monsters among them when their silken covers are stripped away in this process.
Editor, the testimonies provided since the commencement of the ongoing COI have already exposed elements of the clandestine concoction in play at the tabulation process at the Ashmin’s Building which housed the command center of region # 4. The then GECOM head security Officer Ronald Stewart conveyed that he defied instructions from Deputy Chief Election Officer (DCEO) Roxanne Myers, concerning evacuating people from the building due to an alleged bomb threat which in his view had no truthful basis. He also informed the Commission that all the accredited eminent personalities refused to leave the building as the assigned operatives made a genuine effort to avoid using the legitimate Statement of Polls and tried desperately to read from a false spreadsheet to which there were strong and voluminous objections by the attending representatives of Political Parties. Ronald Stewart resigned in fear of being dismissed because his honesty and integrity were at stake.
Assistant Police Commissioner Edgar Thomas who was at the time in charge of the Police Division, was brutally humiliated and sent packing from his post at the tabulation center because he did not get the support of the genuine persons who were at the Ashmin’s building to evacuate and allow the “riggers’ to manipulate the results of the Elections. Thomas’s explanation of what took place at the tabulation center in the presence of the local and International Observers was indeed an insult to Guyana. Notably, the role of key players in the Guyana Police Force comes up for a keener interrogation and it is hoped that this commission allows the full picture to be defined.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Lennox Shuman narrated his experience and serious concerns about the safety of the GECOM Chair Claudette Singh. According to his testimony, from all appearances, she was held captive, and attempts to communicate with her were futile. The account of what took place is indeed alarming as doors were broken and heavily armed police were around. Lennox Shuman’s account of the involvement of GECOM staff in skullduggery was very touching.
Guyanese are always suspicious of the fact that they are attempts to derail the Elections. Hence, the Commission must be cognizant of all attempts to obstruct, frustrate, subvert and interfere with the proper counting and tabulation of the results. Further, there were several attempts by the PNC/APNU+AFC to postpone the National and Regional Elections and it was the relentless struggle of the people of this country that forced the Granger Government to hold the elections.
The missing Statements of Polls and the events that took place under the instructions of the DCEO must be dealt with fully. Our democracy was under severe threat and we must be fully aware that GECOM staff was heavily compromised. The extent to which these inefficacies brought our citizens face to face with hell, must therefore be fully interrogated and those responsible exposed.
The COI must serve its purpose of stripping the cover of those dirty riggers still in hiding, and providing apt recommendations to be acted upon to prevent the recurrence.
Sincerely,
Neil Kumar
