Dear Editor,
In a previous letter to this newspaper (2019.09.21, Stabroek News), I noted the following: “GECOM’s credibility rests on: (1) the reasonable public seeing that it is competent and independent; and (2) the reasonable public accepting that it is capable of conducting credible and impartial elections.” Regrettably, GECOM has failed on both counts.
The reasonable public now sees GECOM as an opaque, unaccountable and rogue body, staffed with individuals who are devoid of ethics and morality. It is incredible that none in the secretariat is bothered by their conscience, or moved to speak out on the grave injustice that is being perpetuated against the Guyanese people.
Further, the reasonable public now sees that GECOM is led by a Chair-person whose credibility no longer registers on any existing measurement scale. In places where reputation matters, legal professionals zealously guard their credibility as it is their most important asset. Given the Chair-person’s legal background, this obviously is not lost on her.
However, any lingering hope for redemption is lost as Guyanese endure her laborious march towards a chaotic recount process. The Chair-person, instead of evolving an effective and efficient mechanism that leads to greater transparency, accountability and clarity, chose to exercise her power differently.
How else can one explain the Chair-person casting votes against: (1) having the SOPs for R4 furnished to the commissioners (and the Guyanese public); (2) live streaming of the recount process (the most important stakeholders are now shut-out by farce disguised as a legal barrier); (3) precluding individuals from the secretariat whose actions have clearly demonstrated malfeasance; (4) rejecting the use of an independent auditing company with respect to the recount; and (5) opting for a chaotic counting process rather than a methodical region-by-region process. True to form, the Chair-person chose to throw her weight behind chaos and non-transparency. It is a fervent hope that the CARICOM team does not ultimately provide the imprimatur to a rigged re-count.
In observing the evolution of Guyana’s 2020 elections to date, Homer’s Odyssey came to mind. On his voyage home, Odysseus must endure many travails; not only must he and his men withstand the allure of the Sirens, they must later pass between Charybdis, a treacherous whirlpool, and Scylla, a horrid man-eating, cliff-dwelling monster. Will Guyana’s democracy survive its Charybdis and Scylla?
Yours faithfully,
Kowlasar Misir
