Dear Editor,
The CCJ has spoken! The wait is over. It is now time to act – time for Guyana to move forward. Too much time and money have been wasted on legal manoeuvring merely because a failed and fallen government is bent on holding on to power by thwarting the rule of law and constitutional provisions. The decisions of the CCJ have breathed the much anticipated new life into the push for a transformational government with the mandate of managing our resources and affairs for the optimal benefit of all Guyanese, and generally a better Guyana. It is time to reduce, or better yet, remove the social distance and distrust that have developed between the government and the populace, especially the kinds that emerged in the wake of the no-confidence motion which was carried on December 21, 2018.
Mr President, you ‘tried a thing’ which couldn’t work. The political manipulations and manoeuvres have failed and the ‘I ain’t going no-where’ must now go somewhere, most likely, out of government. With the view that the rule of law and observation of human rights are integral to democracy, I once again join others in urging you to embrace truth and reality, and facilitate the continued maturing of our democracy. We, the people of this beautiful country, have struggled for it, and so, we deserve it. In essence, Mr President, I urge you to accept the truth and replace your unilateral and misunderstood ‘fit and proper’ selection of Mr Patterson as GECOM Chairman with one other Guyanese from the lists supplied by Opposition Leader, Dr Jagdeo, as the constitution requires; and together with Dr Jagdeo, decide on a mutually agreed early date for elections.
At this juncture in our potential economic boom as an emerging oil and gas economy, we can ill- afford political antics which can and may stymie our progress. In the interest of national cohesion and prosperity it is imperative that we stop all the masquerading, something that has hung like an albatross around the nation’s neck for decades.
In a nutshell, the rule of law is the cornerstone of a democratic society which is built through active participation of its citizens in decisions that affect their lives and by challenging and removing sociopolitical and economic inequality, among others. It should be clear that actions of citizens, the state, and the government are equally subject to legal scrutiny. Our cries for judicial independence were heard and the CCJ has rewarded us with fair and pragmatic decisions. Let us now embrace that reality and work to foster a better/cohesive Guyana through early free, fair and transparent elections. It’s time for the populace to speak!
Yours faithfully,
Ronald Singh
(Barrister & Solicitor)
