Dear Editor,
The President’s insistence on his government recognition by the Opposition Leader is grounded in an objective historical reality. President Ali’s insistence that the Leader of the Opposition Mr. Harmon must recognize the standing government of the day as rightful and legitimate before any talks can commence between the two is one grounded in a historical and dialectical reality. The People Progressive Party (PPP) has witnessed the rigging of elections by the People National Congress Party (PNC) and has endured bitter days under the yoke of Burnhamite PNC reign from 1964 to 1992. When the change of government occurred in 1992 and because of the Carter brokered deal, not a single PNC miscreant that inflicted heavy body blows on our people were held accountable for their racist and violent reign. Today we have self-proclaimed elders in chronological years only and not by the honorific wisdom associated with African traditions, that were responsible for some of the gravest atrocities perpetuated on us, sounding more sanctimonious than the Pope. All because no one was held accountable and put on trial for the crimes they committed.
Finally when we all thought that we would have lain the specter of rigged elections to rest after 1992, up comes the PNC + AFC party attempting in 2020 to most clumsily rig the elections. Now that they were unsuccessful in their attempt to rig the elections and the PPP led Ali government is the legitimate ruler of the day, the PNC mantra is that the government is illegal. Seen within this historical context, President Ali cannot allow Harmon to get away with projecting a false reality that has no basis in facts or the law. To do so will sweep under the carpet the very act that the PNC tried to rig the elections. If we continue in this way as 1992 has taught us, no one will be held accountable and all will be absolved in their wrong doing. To place our society on a path to where the rule of law is sacrosanct then what is lawful must be duly recognized and called so. Harmon has to recognize the government of the day as a prerequisite for any lawful engagement. Only in this manner can we start to hold our leaders accountable and prevent them from projecting false realities.
Sincerely,
Reggie Bhagwandin