Dear Editor,
References are made to editorial “Criticism” (March 24) and news report (March 22) on the Attorney General’s onslaught on GHRA and Mr. Mike McCormack as well as the latter’s response (March 23) on the singling out of his organization for GRA and tax compliance.
What harm has Mike McCormack done in pointing out flaws in governance and of EITI? If the AG’s release is not politically motivated by the preceding, what is? The message sent by the AG is: If you dare criticize our government, we will come after you. We will unearth dirt on you and your organization. So close your eyes and keep quiet! Is democracy dead in Guyana? Will Washington stand silent?
Clearly, the release from the AG on GHRA and comments uttered at other times by the President, Vice President, and many trolls of the government on social media as well as in the state media suggest that there is zero tolerance for criticism or critiques of government and its policies. Anyone who pens anything even remotely critical of the government is targeted with the vilest responses. Reputation and affiliation do not matter. If you dare criticize the administration, you are fair target. Flagrant attempts were made over the last two and a half years to undermine basic democratic institutions and the rights of Guyanese to publicly voice their views on governance.
This PPP administration seems determined to silence critics and prevent civil society from expressing its views on governance. While the President said he would welcome constructive criticism after he was sworn into office, the opposite has happened. He, himself shuts up critics and those who ask uncomfortable questions at public meetings. Democracy is diminishing in Guyana under this government. Several noble figures publicly called out the APNU regime during the five months ordeal to combat rigging. Where are their voices now? Where are the Chris Rams, Ravi Devs, Vishnu Bisrams, Jerry Jailalls, and others on what the government has done to GHRA and Mike McMormack and what it did to Dr. Rudy Jadoopat, and several others because they took an independent position of government’s dictates?
Do these esteemed independent minded public figures have regrets championing democracy replacing one set of violators of democratic norms with a worse, more uncouth set?
For sure, the PPP is not the only government uncomfortable with hard truths being exposed about its bad governance and mounting evidence of corruption. The previous APNU regime was also uncomfortable with its poor governance and corruption being exposed. But the APNU led regime never targeted critics or anyone specifically for ridicule and abuse and never publicly went after any NGO. The targeting of the GHRA by the PPP is the first of its kind in Guyana since the dark days of Burnhamism and Desmond Hoyte. The APNU led regime simply ignored opponents and critical views of members of civil society.
For all the abuses and the strong opposition unleashed on them, the Jagans’ never went after critics or organizations that opposed them. But this PPP administration has unleashed its top political guns and media goons against critics of its bad governance and poor policies.
Unlike APNU, this regime has boldly gone after harmless critics and members of civil society whose only ‘crime’ was or is to expose violations of basic laws and rules. It has unleashed the dogs of war – planned harassment of those who questioned government policies or refused to carry out dictates that are against the law. The state media is used to attack people who critique or disagree with the government.
It is most unfortunate that the Attorney General Anil Nandlall led the assault on GHRA and Mr. McCormack. I have enormous respect for the intellect and democratic credentials of the AG.
There is no doubt that he was almost singularly responsible for the PPP winning judicial matters and being catapulted into office. He is about the lone intellectual and rational figure in the government. But I am afraid he is becoming damaged goods with this attack on GHRA. He seemingly is allowing himself to be manipulated by the power behind the throne to pursue matters that damages his nationwide popularity. This can only hurt his chance of one day occupying State House. He ought to know that.
He has been around a long time. He penned many letters when in opposition during the late 1980s and early 1990s and again between 2015 and 2020 exposing fraud and wrong doings of the then regimes.
Did the PNC government ever target him for his political views or opposition to its policies? What is the urgency now to attack Mike McCormack and GHRA? As Mr. McCormack rightly asked, did the AG inquire into compliance of the hundreds of other organizations?
And what about those hundreds of organizations registered under the Friendly Society Act? How many were investigated for compliance? And why make GHRA lack of GRA compliance a public issue? Would government do same with all other organizations? There are several PPP affiliated organizations – were they investigated for compliance? Did the PNC government ever investigate and made a public spectacle of any of them? And isn’t GHRA a civil organization not engaged in business or activities for profit-making and therefore not required to pay taxes?
The AG knows the rules on non-corporate organizations. He also knows the difficulties that civil organizations like GHRA faced between 1979 and 1992. Why then embarrass the body? And what business is it of the AG or government on how the President of GHRA is elected? The government does not provide funding to GHRA and as such lacks legitimacy to question its activities, membership, and election of executives.
On that note, was Nandlall pleased on how the Presidential nominee of the PPP was chosen in a ballot in Jan 2019? Was democracy and free and fair election at work then in the PPP?
It is essential that key international actors, organizations, the foreign press, and diplomats take note of what is happening in Guyana. Democracy is under threat. Democracy must be more than having free and fair elections. It is about giving space to the opposition and civil society to voice their opinions.
On the latter, the PPP government must stop using state media and paid trolls to attack opponents and critics. It is hoped that diplomats will intensify pressure on the PPP to respect all dissenting views.
Sincerely,
Rudesh Jodha
