Dear Editor,
Guyanese should be allowed to speak freely. Their voting rights must be preserved and respected by everyone, after speaking at polling places on Elections Day. This includes the current Leader of the Opposition and those who mock Guyana’s elections culture by alluding that it is part of a “so-called democracy.” If Guyana is a “so-called democracy,” it may be so primarily due to the PNCR’s failure to win, even once, a free and fair election by its sole merits, despite 60 long years of electioneering and prime political space. The Constitution never did and does not require the existence of the PNC/R. Sixty years without winning an election is certain to hurt Guyanese adversely. Yet, even in a “so-called democracy,” the voices of at least 233,000 persons heard on March 2, 2020 cannot be gagged by Mr. Joseph Harmon. He and his party were afforded a fair opportunity in court to challenge the legitimacy of these voices. To date, those voices remain intact and the elected PPP/C Government of their choice must be respected.
This is where everything starts, in the ballot box. This is where the Leader of the Opposition must begin to pay his respects, because the Constitution and Elections Laws require it on account of the legitimacy of those 233,000 electors on Elections Day. This is the essence of the elections, not a “condition.” It has nothing to do with taking the high road or pettiness. A young man (Mr. Sewdat Hansraj) died because of a “condition” created by those who were attempting to suppress voting rights. Young Hansraj should not die in vain—but too often the voting rights of the largest voting bloc in Guyana are sacrificed to appease those who lose elections and wish to govern—not through the ballot box but against it. For the record, then President Bharrat Jagdeo took the high road after winning the 2001 elections and gave concessions to the losers while Congress Place refused to secure its constituency.
Mr. Harmon is not entitled to a free pass, even after it has been alleged that his party leader tapped Mr. Harmon’s telephone because of suspicion and distrust. Or, as Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said in a recent interview with They Break News (the “Guyanese Critic”) regarding a number of senior Coalition leaders; “They were being tapped because he [President David Granger] did not trust them. He didn’t trust them. And this happened after they were trying to steal the elections, because the pressure started mounting on President Granger, and then he realized that there was an active plot by a number of people, Harmon leading it, to steal the elections.” This extraordinary allegation of telephone monitoring by one’s superior raises serious questions as to whether Mr. Harmon should be Leader of the Opposition, especially since he knowingly and willfully continues to deny the legitimacy of the standing Government, and disrespect the sanctity of voting rights of electors that support it.
Sincerely,
Rakesh Rampertab