Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally has written President David Granger urging him to remain faithful to his promise for a recount of votes from the March 2nd general elections and warning of the seriousness of repercussions were the international community to place sanctions on Guyana.
In a copy of the letter released to the press, Insanally said that as a retired diplomat and technocrat Minister for Foreign Affairs who has served every government and President since Guyana’s independence, he believes he has earned the right to express to Granger his concerns over the present situation.
“Not unnaturally, one of my greatest fears is that, having worked for a lifetime to build close and cooperative relations between Guyana and the international community, the resounding furore which followed the recent election and projected us abroad as a racist and undemocratic polity, will most likely reduce our current prestigious world standing to pariah status and public scorn. Not only our domestic policies but also our international initiatives will be seen as mere charade.
“As we have seen, governments and individuals who refuse to comply with the rules and norms of responsible governance are routinely condemned by others – both states and international organizations – and face the sanctions reserved for those found guilty of `non-compliance.’ Unfortunately, the weight of these sanctions is hardly felt by the rich and the powerful; who have the resources to withstand the impact of the measures imposed rather; it is the poor and disadvantaged people of our country who must suffer the consequences of malfeasance by their rulers. Increasingly, some of the transgressors have been hauled to The Hague for trial before the International Criminal Court and brought to justice for `crimes against humanity’”, he warned
Insanally said that having met Granger on several occasions and read some of his public statements, he was persuaded that Granger was committed to take Guyana forward in a united effort to secure our peace and prosperity.
“It seems, though, from media reports, that your intentions appear to have been thwarted by `forces’ within your party. Rumour has gone so far as to suggest that there is a conspiracy, a cabal of your collaborators, who have other aims in mind. Indeed the Chairman of Caricom is reported as believing that this is so. I say no more.
“I would like to urge you, to remain faithful to your promise. With the collaboration of all patriotic Guyanese, you may be able to help to remedy the negative publicity which has become a major obstacle to progress in our national life. I believe that considerable damage was done to the Caricom offer of attempting a reconciliation of the parties and to the role of International Observers who had been invited to monitor the elections”.
Insanally expressed consternation at the manner in which the CARICOM mission to recount votes at the March 2nd general elections had been handled.
“As a Guyanese citizen, I could not help but be shocked and ashamed by the treatment meted out to these important personalities by some petty officers involved in the Gecom process. This animosity will probably alienate these representatives from any further participation in any mediation endeavour. Worse yet, the unflattering impressions which many of these dignitaries have formed of our conduct will be hard to erase and will deter any improvement in our relations with our own regional body and indeed the rest of the world”.
Insanally said that that in the book which he presented to Granger recently – “The Guyanese Culture: Fusion or Diffusion?”, he had tried to identify some of the reasons for the sad state in which we find ourselves as an independent nation including: (1) The psychological damage inflicted by slavery and colonization (divide and rule) (2) a weak and backward political culture – (after years of independence, we are still a nation of warring tribes (3) growing racial division cultivated and exploited by unscrupulous politicians who see it as a means of gaining political power and an opportunity for self-enrichment (4) an unstable economic and social environment and (5) the replacement of political democracy by political demagoguery.
“These challenges will not be easily overcome. It will take good governance by the political leadership with the full support of an informed and civil population to demolish the obstacles to true democracy. The writing is on the wall; unless there is meaningful change in our political culture, we will be washed away by the sea of change which is now on the rise. I remain, hopeful though, that those who hold the reins of power will come together to save our people, many of whom are sick and tired of being misled by their “democratically” elected leaders.
“I pray that our two main political parties will unite to transform our society so that all races can be assured of equity, social justice, mutual respect and the protections of the Constitution and the Laws of Guyana. Unless an equitable order is brought into existence, there will be no unity in our land.
“With best wishes to you and your colleagues to arrest our decline into chaos and restore peace and security so that we may live free from fear and want”, Insanally said.
