The PNC and our judiciary
Regulars – and my editor – will realise that today’s offering will be most brief. Because unlike many – especially People’s Progressive Party (PPP) leaders, loyalists and supporters – I am not as relieved as I should have been now that GECOM’s Long Count ended on Sunday.
A craftily-fashioned Gazetted Order empowered the elections management body to convert a simple recount into an electoral audit with government-oriented consequences. So much so that His Excellency’s last national presentation reminded of four recount stages. Even as his PNC, masquerading as “APNU”, threatened his “fit-and-proper Iron Lady” GECOM Chairperson and her constitutionally “independent” Commission regarding how to deal with the ballots, the votes just recounted. (What does the three (3)-person undermanned CARICOM Observer Team think of Covid Colonel/Party Agent Harmon’s demands? What? They just want their special flight home?)
So knowing full well the powerlust of His Excellency’s new PNC party; their craving to govern a new Petro-State for at least another ten years – His Excellency’s Burnham-inspired “Decade of development”; suspecting that all is not over within a Coalition–friendly GECOM and its Secretariat; realizing all that a politically/electorally–wounded jaguar can inject into our volatile but fragile body politic, I remain far from comfortable right now. Even though I care not for any President Ali, I hope I’m proven wrong.
Our Guyana after December 2018
I recall that after Janet Jagan’s PPP won the 1997 elections, the PNC orchestrated turmoil and terror in Georgetown. Leader Desmond Hoyte demanded a “Forensic Audit” of the votes then too. CARICOM’s Ulric Cross found that the PPP had won fairly. Poor Dessie. He meant well. Like Burnham did, he had a lengthened term (1985-1992) whilst the PPP always suffered reduced tenures.
So it was after AFC Charrandass’ No Confidence Vote in December 2018. His Excellency’s government perpetuated itself in a Master Class of litigious/political bullyism to “govern.” Result? Our Guyana has had no constituted Parliament – except the one-man Presidency component – for months. No approved National Budget exists. (I heard that the old Public Health Ordinance, to “fight COVID”, allows for funds to be accessed?)
So what price power? A benign autocracy, now assisted by the consequences of a pandemic, imposes authority over a tired populace. Whilst the world “congratulates the Guyanese people” for being patient and orderly. Yeah right!
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Global neighbours “observe”
But what does that world thinks of its Guyanese neighbour in their global village?
I tire, I merely repeat reminders of what the international community – inclusive of powerful voices in the Caribbean – has been “observing” and cautioning since March 03 last. Frankly Speaking I have found their pointed advice to His Excellency himself to be significant in that he knows that he is being scrutinized and assessed most personally.
Surrogates and tribespeople aside, he stands alone in fashioning a political legacy. For reasonable but disillusioned citizens like me, already he is one to social distance from. Because, Frankly Speaking, he is not as divorced from his new PNC as some seem to think. However ridiculous they are, they are his last stand in the coming week.
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A wounded party, a beleaguered judiciary
Too tiring to repeat fully – from the PNC: some 84,000 votes fraudulent because of PPP rigging, though out of government but able to compromise both GECOM workers and PNC Polling Day faithful; March 02 elections therefore invalid; CARICOM will so advise GECOM; His Excellency to remain in place until new elections – more litigation, GECOM funding, training etc. etc; PPP has now replaced PNC as Guyana’s premier electoral rigger!
A weary, COVID-scared electorate and population now awaits court-challenges galore. I’m out of my depth regarding legal intricacies. But as a layman-citizen of reasonable intelligence I’ve grown to regard highly Madam Chief Justice’s decisions. I detect personal, professional independence and integrity in the law. I seem incapable of understanding our Appeal Court decisions however.
As someone recently remarked: Our beleaguered judiciary will be called upon to interpret the people’s will. Poor us.
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So much to ponder…
1) Should not the two leaders caution their followers to desist from incendiary provocative statements on Facebook?
2) Already former Finance Bishop Juan is speaking about financial paper trails and certain types of contracts being obliterated. True?
3) Remember that right now His Excellency still retains loyal control of his Total National Defence Forces.
4) What do Brigadier Phillips, Joe Hamilton, Odinga Lumumba, Gillian Burton, Juan Edghill and Anthony Vieira think of the current/political situation?
5) Justice being served? Both extradited murder accused Bisram and three traffic cops charged with fraud are freed!
6) Two “crimes of opportunity”: Rioters and looters exploiting “peaceful” US protest – and Guyanese policemen “accepting” after-Curfew Bribes.
7) Is Magical Mathematics Mingo in Guyana?
7b) The first count took 2/3 days. The Audit Recount took 33 days. Be grateful. Officer Lowenfield had threatened 156 days!
‘Til next week
