You realise that if two bandits rob and kill your grandmother in her bedroom one night, two feet in front of you, and you escape to inform the police, the two murderers charged become “suspects”. Who allegedly killed your poor granny (even though she actually died and was buried!) In court killers are merely “the accused”.
In one of my all–time (though modern) favourite movies the DA/Prosecutor tells the surviving eyewitness to brutal murders: “It’s not what you saw, it’s what I can prove in court”. (Den dat pitcha start!)
Such is the sustained search for “justice” in our western judicial society, that even the most obvious guilty accused must access his defence guarantees in our courts of law.
Thus I’m obliged to use “alleged” riggers in my lead caption. Guilt has be proven in court when defence counsel use myriad skills and numerous laws to prove that no rigging took place. Or was proved! So now just a few thoughts on the “allegation”.
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Penalising guilty riggers, permanent flood prevention
Since multiple “election–rigging” cases are before Magistrate’s Courts, commentary here has to be limited, guarded, general, responsible.
The Guyana wheels of justice must turn continuously without pause even as the eleven–month-old government grapples with immediate and long-term solutions to flooding throughout our (low) land. Well–meaning, politics–fatigued citizens are now given to thinking: why bother to spend thousands prosecuting the alleged attempts at electoral thievery – when millions are needed to combat Covid–19 and massive flood devastation.
Whether loyal tribalist of PPP or PNC, all fair-minded, reasonably–observant voters would know of the attempts by one 2020 contestant party and identifiable GECOM tainted officials to deny the PPP its slim victory. I’ll not bore readers with details of the case brought against the top GECOM accused, “suspects”. But the following I state.
Long–time Burnhamesque electoral engineering will become resurgent if no prosecution is proceeded with now, regarding the March 2020 alleged power- grab. If the 2020 electoral thievery had succeeded no one’s future vote was guaranteed to be necessary. From Senegal to St Vincent to the EU, US and the Caribbean, the world prevented the attempted electoral coup.
However, frankly speaking I now – without the personal maximum confidence necessary – wonder concernedly about the following: Why isn’t this government “wrong” to have the police charge the alleged GECOM perpetrators? Will the prosecutors triumph over defence counsel as the technicalities, voter representation act, constitution are invoked? Will cases reach to the CCJ?
The former Brigadier–President DA Granger is leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC). His popular Party General Secretary, Ms Lawrence, is among the election–thievery accused. What will the Brigadier and Mr. Harmon advise their loyal followers if ever these cases go against them? Ho-ho-ho. The PNC Brigadier-Leader just recently declared that he doesn’t think that decisions regarding electoral cases should be heard by our highest tribunal, the CCJ – Caribbean Court of Justice. The Brigadier prefers all such matters to be settled by our own Court of Appeal in Georgetown. Why?
The COVID-19 pandemic and now, these disastrous country–wide floods wrecking produce, property and lives, constitute nightmares for any new administration. What fodder too for an unrelenting opposition now provided with lots to criticise.
All I’ll say for now is that I’ve seen and read useful letters regarding long-term national flood prevention. This government has the continuous responsibility to do now what all those which were there since Independence did not do – sustained national drainage and flood prevention programmes. The PPP did not organise rains and hide-tides and climate change. But they asked for the job. And justifiably got it.
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Fathers, parents, sperm-donors…
Day after tomorrow – Sunday – is set aside to celebrate fathers – and fatherhood. Just fair, after mothers and their day are so highly regarded.
But I return to my theme of a few years ago. A father is “a male parent”. A parent is “one who begets or brings forth; one who brings up and cares for another”. Now tell me; how many real fathers do you-all really know?
As we celebrate Father’s Day this coming Sunday I recognise today’s relatives around the globe and right here: real true fathers are an endangered species; a disappearing group. “I’m a single parent!” the young mothers proclaim. And I bemoan those young “fathers” who were/are really sperm-donors. No love, no finance, no guidance or responsibility regarding their offspring.
So as I acknowledge that this world has now produced mothers who prefer to be unmarried career “single-parents”, I ask that we use Sunday’s Father’s Day to reflect. Let the GRPA, grandparents, Roman Catholic Church etc. counsel young fathers and fathers-to-be. A Father’s Day of Reflection.
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Consider…
● Should not our oil revenues in New York provide some flood relief?
● So sudden! Bye and farewell Lennox gone way too soon man! Farewell after 36 close years.
