Why can’t observer teams be present and why no cell phones?

Dear Editor,
The saying that “old habits die hard” is ever so true especially when you consider the fancy dance footwork being displayed by the PNC and its associates. It is mind-boggling, to say the least, that so many excuses and so many impediments have to be put in the way for a simple recount to begin far less to reach completion. It is becoming woefully ludicrous to see how seemingly mature people are behaving since March 2. To think of it, two whole months have passed and still, we are no closer to the end of this long night of uncertainties, as one nonsensical excuse after another keeps cropping up. And it is all coming from one source – the PNC.
Now, I have managed to put a few of these together and I am asking you to make your own conclusions. The PNC is having grave difficulties with The Carter Center or with any other observer group being in attendance for the recount. Their excuse is that observers are really “meddlers” in our domestic affairs and should be kept out. They have also concocted another excuse that The Carter Center did not notify them early enough of their intention to observe the process.
This is utter hogwash. If you want me to give you a quick answer, because you are talking about The Carter Center who has been at the forefront of our democratic process as far back as 1992. They represent the standard where elections are concerned; they are our guide or template to a transparent and credible process, so I do not see why they can’t be here.  The PNC is operating under the misguided assumption that The Carter Center is a bunch of vagrants who walked off the street on to the election platform in Guyana. They fail to realise that this is a well-respected international observer group with years of experience behind them and as such must be afforded the utmost respect they deserve.
Now, we come to the much talked about live streaming of the event as well as the use of cell phones. Here again, the PNC/AFC cabal is pushing for a ban on live streaming and cell phone use.  Again, I say in an age of technology and modernity, why should live streaming and cell phones be a problem for them? The two communication mechanisms add credibility and transparency to the entire process. This is a public event (our votes are being counted) and we reserve the right to watch, observe or what you may want to call it, from start to finish. This is our constitutional and democratic right!
The fact is, if convicted felons or rank “criminals” can be afforded the privileged, prized possession of a tablet, why can’t persons guarding our democracy be afforded the same privileges? Are you telling me that a common criminal has more rights than an official at a recount, is this the nonsensical idea this cabal is promulgating? Well, I’d be damned if this is the case, because as the ABC and European group of countries repeatedly said, if this process is not credible, dire will be the consequences.

Respectfully
submitted,
Neil Adams