Dear Editor,
The insistence of David Granger that GECOM must advise him on the best possible date for credible elections to avoid recklessness and irresponsibility is risible resting on the lame under-view rather than the overview of the crisis gripping the nation. The “President” decides the date for general elections, not GECOM at all times. Granger’s declaration on the above issue has been an ongoing struggle for political turf evidenced by the unilateral hiring of the previous Chairman of GECOM and the synchronicity of baseless explanations to defy the rulings of the courts. The daily neologism – squatter, caretaker, and illegal government – is meaningless to this man and his flock of chieftains. It is like pouring water on duck’s back. They have no impact.
Logically then one is forced to ask, who is this individual? Why is he so self-obsessed with holding on to power? Until about five years ago, Granger was an outsider in the PNC but an insider in Forbes Burnham’s personal motivation of the militarization of Guyana. Yet, this man remembers very little as to what transpired in those years other than the admiration of the limited political and social éclat of Burnham to which he has difficulty emulating. Time has changed Guyana making it less susceptible to manipulation and the PPP opposition will do anything to prevent self-serving factionalism and bio-nationalistic dogma. Or, can they?
Is it then the journey from being an outsider to a quintessential insider that has shaped Granger’s thinking? Then again, this journey requires political capital. What appears to be more certain is that he has succeeded in bringing his personality to politics but fewer politics to personality. His cool and calm demeanour is his high point. His lack of clairvoyance is his low point. Do remember his cliometrics that the voter list is bloated by over 200,000 names? He dislikes and ignores public scrutiny like a plague but appreciates private correspondence.
Granger will be addressing the UN General Assembly soon and we wonder what would this man say to the world about Guyana? We will be watching it.
Yours faithfully,
Lomarsh Roopnarine