Dear Editor,
Even the ordinary man in the street will have no problem defining what is meant by the words ‘transparency’ and ‘credibility’. He would tell you that ‘transparency’ means that he must actually see what is going on and ‘credibility’ means that he must believe and trust what he has seen to be the truth. In other words, there must be no room for any doubt whatsoever in his mind. He will then accept the results.
What has transpired since Elections Day, March 2, has left no doubt whatsoever that there has been a complete lack of transparency and credibility with regards to the results declared for Region Four and as such, the results can be deemed to be criminally fraudulent. The world has seen this. But what is alarming is the fact that the independent constitutional body which was supposed to ensure such transparency and credibility has been the major perpetrator of this massive fraud against the citizens of this country.
It now leaves no doubt in one’s mind that the Chairperson of GECOM is not independent and is working assiduously to ensure that the 2020 Elections is rigged in favour of the APNU/AFC or more realistically, the PNC. It must be recalled that Justice (retd) Claudette Singh had vowed at her swearing-in ceremony that, “there is only one way, in accordance with the law and in accordance with the Constitution, and nothing else” and everyone had thought then that here comes the ‘Iron Lady’ whose entry at GECOM will end the drama of deceit. She had claimed that she took up the appointment “for the sake of my country”, this means that she is a patriot who will not display any partisanship in dispensing her duties. Moreover, she had said that “I will not sell my integrity for all the oil in Guyana” and had vowed to deliver credible elections despite “many negative things in the newspapers”. Any reasonable person knew for a long time that CEO Keith Lowefield was severely compromised but had thought that the Chairperson would reign him in since she has the decisive vote and her ‘integrity’. But this was never to be!
It is now conclusive that all the controversy which arose since the Region Four counting fiasco arose simply because the GECOM Chairperson allowed the fraud to be perpetrated. It must be recalled that she was missing in action at Ashmins mall and had allowed the CEO to take charge. The GECOM Chair had also allowed the flouting of the acting Chief Justice’s orders which had stated that the counting of the SoPs must be done in accordance with Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act. Imagine a retired Judge as the head of GECOM allowed this contempt of court to take place. Since then and after the Court of Appeal’s judgement, she has allowed the CEO to come up with an unbelievable and unacceptable 156-day recount. Are we to believe that the CEO came up with this lengthy recount period all on his own? Is there a disconnection between the CEO and the Chairperson? Then she threw the ball into Nagamootoo’s court in yet another attempt to delay. He made full use of this opportunity to carry out his rubberstamp duties by proposing to quarantine the observers for 14 days which had to be revoked by the caretaker President. Now that the ball is once again in the Chairperson’s court, she has reduced the counting stations and proposed a 25-day counting period which can be extended based on progress made but yet the date for the recount is in abeyance. Why is she always making room for further fraudulent overtures? Why can she not deliver a decisive judgment? But this is not all. She has rejected the PPP/C’s proposals which would have heightened the ‘transparency and credibility’ of the recount process. This brings to question her vow to deliver ‘credible elections’. Her actions are questionable on many counts but people have exercised patience.
Claudette Singh needs to give reasons why she is against the following recommendations proposed by the PPP/C which would have boosted and sharpened the transparency and credibility of the recounting process. Some of these proposals are the releasing of Statements of Poll for Region Four; the live streaming of the recount process; the observation of the recount process by the Audit Office of Guyana or a duly accredited auditing firm contracted by GECOM; the removal of suspect members of GECOM who were involved in controversy and allegations of fraud resulting in legal proceedings in the High Court; the recount to be conducted in accordance with the Representation of the People Act and the Laws of Guyana Chapter 1:03; to set aside and annul the fraudulent results for Region Four and the resultant report prepared and submitted by Lowenfield. In addition, the proposal to invite all the observers who were accredited to observe the March 2 Elections is vital since they had observed the entire 2020 elections and will be in the best position to report on the validity of the recount process. They had to abort the Region Four electoral process after attempts were made to stall and rig the elections by the APNU/AFC aided by certain GECOM officials. Are these proposals against ‘transparency and credibility’ Madame Chairperson?
It is my conclusion based on many circumstantial pieces of evidence and logical reasoning that the GECOM Chairperson was never interested in delivering free, fair, transparent and credible elections and at each and every opportunity, she has deliberately failed to make the timely and appropriate decisions, being content to let it seem like her ‘hands are clean’. The man on the Clapham bus has already condemned Retired Justice Claudette Singh!
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf
