Dear Editor,
I read with concern two articles published in the Demerara Waves, under the captions, “ US backs 18-month project to reform Guyana’s electoral machinery” and “IRI to coordinate with India, Canada on US-funded Guyana reform project”. Both articles deal with the role that the US, Canada and other foreign interest will play in the implementation of Constitu-tional Reform of the electoral laws/system, GECOM and the Attorney General Chambers.
This seemingly neo-colonial project will be spearheaded by the International Republican Institute (IRI). This organization has been in Guyana before, during and after the 2020 General and Regional Elections, advising GECOM ‘s Chair-person on election matters. And despite (or perhaps because of) their presence, we had the worst management of elections in recent history. My major concern and worry having read both articles mentioned above are the striking features in the pronouncements by the IRI, the US Embassy, State Department and the Attorney General. No mention was made of the role of the political opposition, more so APNU+AFC, the parliamentary representatives of almost half the country. This is not an omission since we are dealing with politically experienced agencies who must be cognizant of the need for the involvement of the parliamentary opposition. This consideration is an important imperative given the accusations that the US, UK, Canada and the EU made in 2020 as they engaged in regime change in Guyana. What makes the US and Canada feel emboldened to the point that they don’t mind risking more damage to their reputation in the country? This is happening even though there is a new administration in Washington. My advocacy on this matter is about the lack of transparency, fairness, democracy and the much talk of good governance by foreign and local pundits. In politics, local and international, there is usually some pre-understanding if not agreement on the part of the players on important initiatives before political capital is dispensed in public announcements.
My years in politics informs me that the PPP/C will never commit to such far reaching constitutional reforms driven by the US without first reaching a large measure of agreement on the likely outcome(s). It is no secret that often when foreign powers take a major interest in these matters and emphasise the role of civic society organizations, it is to give validation of decisions made outside the so-called participatory process. For the record, I have no problem with the express support that the Indian government has offered in support of democracy and good governance in Guyana. India and African countries in the days of our anti-colonial struggle for independence provided solidarity and this extended to our post-independence racial/political difficulties when they again offered helping hands. In stating no objection to India’s involvement/ role in our constitutional reform process, I am conscious that in some quarters in the African community it will draw private and probably public criticism, understandably so. But India’s public neutrality in our 2020 elections crisis warrants my endorsement. We all welcome improved electoral laws – but what we don’t desire as a nation is to subject ourselves to new forms of neo-colonialism now that we have potential wealth from our oil and gas resources.
I end by stating that the nation awaits the parliamentary opposition’s action to reverse this PPP/C and US conspiracy against its supporters and the country.
Sincerely,
Tacuma Ogunseye
