Dear Editor,
I have perused yet again that the long-delayed election fraud court matters are about to be resumed (but) with a fresh set of “preliminary issues” to be resolved. Now the trial will be under Acting Chief Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty of the Georgetown Magistrates’ who has taken over from her predecessor Senior Magistrate Leron Daly. This trial involves several high-profile defendants, all accused of conspiring to rig the results of the 2020 National Elections. However, the ‘elusive’ trial remains in limbo as it is set to resume with a fresh set of legal issues to be first resolved. What a waste of time, and more so, with 2025 ‘elections fever’ already burgeoning. I say what a waste of time because this is the way of the Opposition, whether it is the PNC (People’s National Congress) or, the PNC within the APNU/AFC (A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change). Let me illustrate.
The new nonsense now from Nigel Hughes is that “… the legal principle of de novo, or a fresh start…’ should be invoked. His contention is that “… the case should proceed without being bound by previous decisions made by Magistrate Daly.” However, on the Government’s side, this should not be. The end for now until December 9, 2024 is that Magistrate Mc Gusty will hear oral arguments on the issue of this “fresh start” after which a date will be set for the commencement of the trial. How long must we tarry! How long can they hide! As a consideration, I urge the PPP/C to await the ultimate conclusion of this issue before announcing the date for the 2025 elections. Guyana needs to ‘clean-up’ its political garbage. Too many smelly issues and people are in the biosphere of the land.
Currently, Guyana has quite a dung-heap to deal with: District Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo; former health minister under the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government Volda Lawrence; PNC/R activist Carol Smith-Joseph; former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Keith Lowenfield; former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers; and GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Babb-Cummings, and Michelle Miller. Together, they are facing 19 conspiracy charges related to alleged electoral fraud. All defendants have denied the charges and are currently out on bail.
Sincerely,
Hargesh B. Singh