The announcement of general elections in Guyana is a signal for an immediate increase in tension across the land. Historical experience – decades old now but still potent in the memory – of crass manipulation of the vote, added to the racial divide, party battle lines sharply drawn, bitter personal animosities thrown in and the knowledge that there is so much at stake combined with the certainty that it will be a close run thing, guarantees that tension will escalate during the course of election campaigning.
Indeed, so volatile is the brew that it is remarkable, astonishing really, that Guyana has remained on an even keel in these tempestuous times. There must be a reason for this unheralded benefit.
In any democracy how elections are conducted – their safety, fairness, transparency, accuracy, in summary their absolute integrity – is of paramount importance in securing the legitimacy of political power. Without that integrity of process, the danger of the body politic being fractured and society itself bring ripped apart becomes a very real and present danger.
So it is supremely fortunate for Guyana that, quietly and expertly and even-handedly, an electoral process has been established in Guyana which gives the whole nation the assurance that the process of voting will be free, fair, uncontaminated by bias or manipulation – that, indeed, the voice of the people will be heard unmuffled – that, as the old saying has it, the bell of freedom has been purely cast and will with truth resounding ring.
There are quibbles, assurances are sought again and again that all is above board (prove it – and it is patiently proved and re-proved), there are even doubts and suspicions aired simply to pave the way for explaining the contingency of a lost campaign – a woeful and dangerous game indeed. But at the heart of things, in the deep recesses of the leaders’ minds, in what the general populace senses is the truth, there is confidence that the process is straight and fair and will reflect what the majority wants.
And this important fact has been endorsed and reinforced in the recent past, and will now be doubly checked in the present election, by our own local and by external observers in numbers reliably covering the polling processes and the vote itself.
All this is a great national blessing in a potentially bad time. Guyana’s way of running elections has been criticized as bringing politicians – the six Commissioners – into a process which should be, it is claimed, completely “independent.” I see the point, but as it has happened our way of doing things has produced a process which has worked amazingly well and is increasingly admired abroad and looked to for example, advice, instruction and imitation.
Credit for this must go to the procedures themselves put carefully in place and refined over time and to the professional staff who have been trained and trained again as far as humanly possible to do their jobs untainted by bias. Very importantly, credit is also due to the six Commissioners whose patriotism trumps their partisanship when all is said and done.
Above all credit, to a degree that makes him in a very real sense Guyana’s most important man, is due to Dr Steve Surujbally, Chairman of the Elections Commission.
Dr Surujbally has made an extraordinary, long-lasting contribution to the nation by providing a strong, steady, deeply patriotic hand steering us through the dangerous cataracts of the last two elections and now this one.
In recognizing this, it should be appreciated that Dr Surujbally brings to his task a very fine mind, immense professionalism and organizational ability of a high order. In the important field of veterinary service he is an acclaimed regional and international figure whose record of work done and tasks accomplished is extensive and remarkable – though very largely unsung. The basis of such achievement – the attributes of mind, routines of hard and well-organised work, the concern for exact truth which faithfulness to science confers – all of these he has translated into the job and heavy national responsibility of carrying out the duties of Chairman of the Elections Commission. He has proven to be an inspired choice for the job. As Guyana prepares to vote, the country is fortunate it has in overall charge of the process of electing our government a public servant of fine intellect, outstanding professional achievement, proven trustworthiness and absolute integrity.
We can be as sure as those in any democracy in the world, and surer than those in many, that our elections process is fair, transparent and free of bias and is being administered expertly and even- handedly. This is a great blessing. We can be sure that, whatever the result, this election will reflect correctly and unquestionably the will of the people.
