Dear Editor,
The Stabroek News and GECOM commissioner, Mr. Vincent Alexander, have done a great service to the Guyanese nation. I refer to Stabroek News article published in the October 27th 2021 edition captioned, “… Gocool Boodoo applies for Chief Election Officer Post…” This revelation must have caused great concern both at home and abroad. While it is an affront to the nation it is a political abomination that must not be allowed to happen. This is occurring while the main opposition party, the PNCR, is occupied with an internal power struggle for the leadership of the party. This leaves the party with little or no energy to fight for the imperatives of the national struggle. And the PPP/C leadership is well aware of this state of affairs in the PNCR, and is taking full advantage of the situation.
Our new democrats birthed in the 2020 elections have their work cut out. They either stand up for democracy by rejecting the undermining of the election process or be exposed as opportunists parading as believers of democracy. In making this observation I am of the conviction there will be a damming silence from these disciples of democracy both at home and abroad. Information coming out of GECOM has indicated that the PPP/C commissioners have pressed for applicants for the Chief Election Officer post to have at least 10 years of experience in election management. This recommendation while opposed by opposition commissioners got the support of Chairwoman of GECOM, Justice Claudette Singh thus setting the ground for the return of Mr. Boodoo. Any honest observer of Guya-nese politics will have no difficulty in reading this obvious ploy by the rulers. His role in depriving the AFC of its Region 10 seats won in the 2006 elections; and allowing the then Prime Minister Samuel Hinds to remain in the parliament as the beneficiary of PPP/C style “democracy”.
It is important to note that in the case of the Region 10 seat this was done after Boodoo had a meeting with the AFC and assured them that he would address the issue. He did so by declaring the seat to the PPPC. In the 2011 elections, he attempted to give the PPP/C extra votes/ seats by falsifying the formula used for the allocations of the seats and tried to grant the PPP/C an effective parliamentary majority. His machination was defeated by the vigilance of Commissioner Vincent Alexander. These are a few incidents in support of my contention that Mr. Gocool Boodoo is bad for “business” in GECOM and Guyana elections.
Sincerely,
Tacuma Ogunseye.
