Pardon me, but dammit! I have a deadline to meet editorially which precludes me from awaiting even the significant, substantial preliminary results from Dr Surujbally’s GECOM, the authorized, Constitutional Election Commission. Three days after polls closed.
So I took this plunge-listening to the APNU-AFC level-headed electoral analysts; the calculated maths by certain prominent persons at GECOM itself and studying the concerns of Bharrat Jagdeo’s PPP/C as it demanded recounts and readied for large-scale challenges and litigation.
So yes, my assumption is that the Coalition has won in a manner to capture Presidency and government. And if I am prematurely inaccurate, I beg the PPP/C “victors” not behead me or discriminate against this 70-plus citizen unnecessarily.
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Glimpses of a Granger Presidency?
Last Friday, in my non-profound manner, I essayed to speculate on the basic expectations of (the character of) a Granger Presidency. Mention was made, most briefly, of past and current indicators which should inform any such attempt to speculate or predict.
His leadership style, both as military executive and strategist and as Party, Parliamentary and Coalition election Leader can afford us ideas and glimpses, but the proof of the APNU-AFC Manifesto pudding is in the actual cooking and eating.
I got a solid inkling via his final CNS TV 6 appearance last week-end. Granger’s views were that since a virtual culture of executive lawlessness, inclusive of very low standards of decorum, speech, general morality, pervaded the Ramotar Cabinet it was unfortunately natural for ministers to be loose and coarse, with too many executives and heads of governmental agencies following suit. Cuss-down politics and campaigning and physical threats to the small man, all flowed from this executive immorality, was Granger’s assessment. I can only agree whole-heartedly.
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A Code is coming
That’s why it is no surprise that the Brigadier has already fashioned A Code of Behaviour for those who will be his Cabinet Ministers. This Code, he announced, will be a guide, probably to complement existing PSM rules governing senior Public Servants, but will in time become a moral, legal, administrative S.O.P. Frankly Speaking, I suspect that if you dare breach it, you’re gone, military style!
This is the only element of a possible Granger Presidency I’ll touch on today. More will utilize scores of paragraphs and will be written by me and countless other pundits, very soon.
Dr Surujbally recommends
The vexation, stress, frustration and justified impatience of the country waiting for the official preliminary results prompted a great question from Senior Media Man Gordon Moseley.
He asked the sometimes-impatient and dismissive GECOM Chair-man just what he (Dr Surujbally) would recommend (to government and Parliament) in order to sharply lessen this unacceptable delay in tabulating and delivering official results, election after election.
Perhaps surprisingly, this question allowed the good Doctor to pronounce on the reforms and procedures he obviously nurtures in an impatient mind. The Chairman mentioned the issues of electoral technology – the machines successfully used for U.G.’s student elections recently, the fact that the Canadians stood poised to assist with that technology; the hint that one component of the Commission was not ready for such modernity; the layers of bureaucracy now necessary at all polling stations, because of distrust; as well as a few cumbersome internal necessities at GECOM itself.
In short, Surujbally is calling for what we all know to be vital – electoral reform. From the composition of the Commission to the voting process. It was courageous of him. A new dispensation must approach this, even as they plan early Local Government Polls. It’s up to the Eleventh Parliament!
Voting! After 23 Years
I Allan Fenty, could claim to have been “political”, since childhood, when my old “red” grandmother would drag along me and a small wooden bench to “enjoy” political meetings at Bourda Green. We lived, as poor people, on Church Street in the capital, quite near to the Green.
I “became PNC” from 1968. You had to be 21 years old back then to vote. So I voted in six/seven elections up to October 1992. Man, I also headed the PNC’s Public Relations Unit for the elections of ’80, 85 and ’92. But by 1997 and 1998 I disliked thoroughly the PNC responses to the Janet Jagan government. (How well I recall Joe Hamilton leading PNC protestors aggressively down Regent Street!)
I ceased any political activism. I knew the politicians on all sides all too well. I stopped voting! When one does that, he/she must accept any government the so-called “people’s will” throws at you. (I still contend that a government has a Constitutional, legal and moral right and responsibility to serve non-voters-from Jehovah Witnesses to the a-political and apathetic and under-eighteens.)
But in all good conscience, as a patriot over seventy, as a citizen sorry for the old and the youth, seeing most of Guyana’s resources being shared among just a few – through political contacts, nepotism, corruption, poor policing and prosecution, and human and cocaine trafficking – I had to vote on Monday, after 23 years!
I voted APNU-AFC, top and bottom of Ballot. That means I am now qualified to hold them accountable to me. I can call for programmes, policies and standards. I am an elector once again.
Sometimes it’s all about the best of a bad lot at election time. I’ve made a choice. I’ll see how right I was when all Guyanese are to be governed with equitable opportunity. Yes, it is time, long, long overdue!
Ponder well …..
*1) Beware of arrogance, power-drunkenness amongst the new young turks in government.
*2) True? Some Overseas-based Guyanese paid only $300.00 (US) to come home for Monday?
*3) Members of the judiciary actually hid from Doctor Bharrat this Wednesday??
*4) “De umpire give yuh out! So walk nuh! What? You going to de third umpire?” APNU Wag said.
*5) Just when will the new president be sworn in?
Til next week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
