The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change have started a new trend of robustly unleashing attacks on anyone who comments on the humiliating political situation in Guyana and/or calls for credible elections’ results. This is a situation created wholly by the APNU/AFC, who are in self-denial over the elections loss they suffered at the March 2, 2020 polls.
The latest of these attacks is on incoming Chair of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Dr Ralph Gonsalves, and was made by former Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon. During a radio programme, Dr Gonsalves 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.
To quote him, he said: “I am satisfied that CARICOM will not stand by idly and watch the recount which was properly done for the results to be set aside.” This apparently struck a nerve with the Coalition, which seem satisfied with the status quo of dictatorship, and thus the swift attack on the character of the prime minister, and also their accusing him of interfering in Guyana’s internal affairs.
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 taken a firm stand for a democratically elected Government to be installed in Guyana.
As this newspaper has pointedly said before, the constant cry by the APNU/AFC, who by now know from the recount that they have lost the 2020 General and Regional Elections, 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.
All of the observers have publicly stated that the elections were free, fair, and credible up until the tabulation of the Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) results. The post-election events have been a national embarrassment, and have made this country a laughing stock in the eyes of the wider Caribbean and international communities. Those events clearly show that, after more than 50 years of Independence, some of our leaders have not matured politically, and are not willing to do the right thing in the national interest.
However, Harmon’s brazen reaction may have come because of the awareness that Caricom will not stand with an undemocratic Government. As was outlined by former Barbados Ambassador to the United States (US) and the Organisation of American States (OAS), John Beale, Caricom’s position on the world stage is tenuous as it is, and therefore the group cannot be seen as supporting dictatorship; and, as such, must be prepared to take decisive action against Guyana if democracy and the will of the people are trampled upon.
Former Bajan Prime Minister Owen Arthur gave a fitting response to Harmon when he said on Friday that Ralph Gonsalves “is in perfectly good order” and “Harmon thinks that he has authority to unleash vitriolic attacks on Caribbean leaders…that behaviour is not tolerable in a society that has the Charter of Civil Society, it can’t be.” The former PM was correct when he “put Harmon to his place” as is said in Guyana. The venomous attack by a caretaker Government that is clutching at straws is now destroying Guyana’s diplomatic relations.
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? Guyanese deserve better!
