Supporters and members of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) have launched an attack on the international community; Caribbean Community (Caricom) more so Caricom Chair Mia Mottley; and the members of the high level Observer Team as they all take a firm stance on ensuring that democracy prevails in Guyana. In quite a proverbial slap in the face, Mottley on Friday, in responding to the critics in Guyana, directly told the APNU/AFC that the “truth hurts”. PM Mottley has been playing an integral role in Guyana’s prolonged electoral process, leading a high-level delegation of Caricom Heads of State back in March to discuss the impasse. She and the Caricom team were described by the very APNU/AFC administration as the “legitimate interlocutor” in Guyana’s electoral process. It is distressing that caretaker President David Granger sits silently as members and supporters of his party try to drag the reputation of such a distinguished daughter of the region through the mud. APNU/AFC are offended that Mottley and Caricom are standing “to aspire to a very high level of behaviour with respect to free and fair elections, and with respect to giving full effect to the will of the people.” This is not the first time within the past months of elections turmoil in Guyana that the APNU/AFC, which appears to be in self-denial mode, has launched vile attacks on honourable regional leaders. As a matter of fact, since the recount results showed that the party was ousted, the APNU/AFC began the trend of robustly unleashing attacks on anyone who comments on the humiliating political situation in Guyana. No other than the former Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, attacked incoming Chair of Caricom, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, after the St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister made it clear that CARICOM would not tolerate the stealing of an election, nor would the regional bloc allow the results from the Recount Process to be set aside. As this newspaper has previously said, everyone – whether it be the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union, Commonwealth, Organisation of American States, or everyone else – has had an attack propelled on them for ‘interference’ in Guyana, all because these nations have called for a democratically elected Government to be installed in Guyana. Another perverse attack was launched on the notable sons of the region, Former Bajan Prime Minister Owen Arthur and former Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding. Like the others, they, too, called out APNU/AFC and certain senior officials from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on their malfeasance.
There is no doubt that the recount proved beyond reasonable doubt that the David Granger-led APNU/AFC was involved in some collusion with Region Four Returning Officer Mingo to thwart the will of the Guyanese people in their favour. The constant cry by the APNU/AFC is a clear indication that they have no respect for democracy, and moreso the will of the Guyanese people. Since March 2, they have fooled and manoeuvred their supporters into believing that they were in some way short-changed, despite the international, regional and local observers pointing to the fact that the elections were free and fair. This has now taken on new life, and in their bid to cling to power, they are ruining Guyana’s diplomatic relations. Again, this newspaper will ask: Where is caretaker President David Granger? Doesn’t he, as Head of State, see what his hard-core officials are doing to Guyana’s image? Why can’t he stop it? But rather, does he want to stop it?
