Dear Editor,
Last August 2 was the fourth anniversary of the declaration of the outcome of the March 2, 2020 elections. Memories went back to the five months struggle from March 2, 2020, the day of the elections, to August 1, 2020 when the matter of declaring a winner was still being contested in the court. The public is not and probably will never know some of the critical happenings during those five months of the battle that led to the declaration that placed the PPP in government and Irfaan Ali as President. There were several untold events and unsung heroes behind those happenings. It took five long months for an election declaration that really should have taken no more than five hours. Actually, the count at each polling station was known within a few hours and telephoned to headquarter of each of the contesting political party that was monitoring and doing their own count, the local and international observers, GECOM monitoring staff, and the media that was anxiously awaiting the outcome for its breaking news report.
Within hours, the final outcome was known but certification of final results was held up. On at least two occasions, there was a planned swearing in of a President before the final declaration on August 2. The incumbent finally caved in to pressure (from Washington that imposed sanctions on individuals who were hell bent on having a result in their favour) allowing GECOM to make a declaration. GECOM was divided 3-3; the chair cast the tie breaking vote resulting in the declaration that led to Irfaan Ali’s swearing in. There were several court cases – Supreme Court, Appeal Court, and CCJ. And Douglas Mendes, who was the front face of the arguments of the opposition, was credited for the opposition victories in court. But very early on, there was one crucial court case which saved the PPP on the eve of a planned swearing in of David Granger. Without the last-minute, and real last minute, intervention of Anil Nandlall, a court challenge to a (planned and expected) declaration in the early days would have been held. Nandlall’s Senior felt a legal challenge was not tenable and instead proposed going ‘the election petition way’ after a declaration. Nandlall’s determination prevailed and a challenge was filed. He rescued the situation which was at the time hopeless for the opposition.
There were also quiet behind the scene appeals to Ambassadors and lobbying of Washington and other influential world capitals to warn against planned fraud and to pressure the incumbent to accept the real outcome. Appeals to certain eminent personalities who were advisors, consultants, observers in Guyana and to others at government offices around the globe including in Auckland, London, Canberra, Washington, Ottawa and elsewhere assisted in putting pressure on the incumbent to accept the will of voters and on GECOM to make a declaration of the actual outcome of vote count. Appeals from local respected, influential figures (legal minds and friends) were also made to GECOM officials to come right and declare the actual results. Several individuals, local and foreign (Ambassadors, observers, US State Department officials, etc.) played key roles that led to the announcement of August 2, 2020. Most important of all in saving democracy was Ambassador Sara Ann Lynch; without her intervention, speaking on behalf of the most powerful country, the right outcome would not have been possible. President Granger, to his credit, it was reported, declined opportunities to be sworn in under any questionable declaration.
Sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram
