Dear Editor,
It took 57 years of Independence and 54 years of Republican status in Guyana, before the PNC can finally, boastfully and openly admit to be culpable election riggers. Those in the court facing alleged election fraud charges are probably swearing, blaspheming and vilifying the most senior rigger, as he dropped their guard and exposed what the PNC wanted to hide in the shadow of the dark.
Fussing, fuming and fulminating each second as they spend sleepless nights and worrisome days, they fear a trial which promises to create a precedent that will scare all those who may want to attempt to travel that road again. Thanks to the learned teacher, this election fraud case has rekindled a new interest and impatience which will be detrimental to the PNC. The philosopher was thrown out from the PNC by former President Desmond Hoyte. He once called Hoyte “an inexperienced schoolboy.”
Former President David Granger had brazenly advertised his party’s modus operandi in skullduggery and gaining power in November 2017 when he addressed a gathering in Atlanta, Georgia, “You have to ask yourself how did the PNC gain office in 1964? Ask yourself how did the PNC remain in office, and what did it do during that period? Ask yourself, how did the PNC regain office in 2015, and ask yourself how will the PNC retain office after 2020?” He closed in on a confession and he did market their main weapon which is their trump card in winning the election – rigging! The ageable politician called him a “schoolboy in politics.”
The historian loves to write, speak, pat babies and hide behind not only closed doors. During his presidency, David, the decorated soldier, spoke these (regrettable?) words, “I have never rigged an election in my life. I have no intention of ever doing so.” He further added (guiltily?), “I am not aware that rigged elections were an ideal of Forbes Burnham.” His sarcasm must have brought a loud laugh and thunderous applause from his audience. The Prime Minister for St. Vincent and the Grenadines referred to him as “the sanctimonious gangster.”
PNC members are walking in shame with their heads hanging low and their eyes searching the ground these days for what’s not to be found! Eye contact is not salable as they avoid this conversation like the plague. They wish they could erase what their elder preacher had advised, but, in this E Age, the stage is set for his speech to be a permanent record and readily available at the tip of the finger. It is a hot-selling item and will be played forever. The PNC has to protect, preserve and promote their ideals which are still valid in their books i.e., corruption, bankruptcy, mismanagement, propaganda, violence, racism and of course…. rigging.
Lawyer 007 in 2019 spoke some telling words, “We must have lawful, free, fair and credible elections and no man is going to circumvent GECOM. No man will circumvent GECOM. We will take whoever to court if they tell us that GECOM can’t do their work. We will go to court.” His boomerang words backfired. As a member of the People’s National Congress, he witnessed his party members being charged for alleged election fraud! Granger had illegally appointed Patterson as a GECOM Chairman. The PNC lost their case at the CCJ when they tried to defend his appointment.
The PNC has always been on the wrong side of history. They used the law to shield them from their illegal activities whenever they were in power. Their countless negative activities are too innumerable to mention as they only bring hurt to all the senior citizens of this country who are ashamed of the PNC. As the world witnessed their attempt to rig the 2020 general election, it took the mighty hands of the American Government along with the international, regional and national communities to save this country from falling into the hands of a gang of rebels and restore democracy. Former Head of the OAS, Bruce Golding, had sadly declared, “I have never seen a more transparent effort to alter the results of an election.”
PNC members wished they hadn’t witnessed a weekend like last when their own “kit and Kin” let them down by uttering the blasphemous and revolting words, “I say we should keep rigging to save us from these devils, these bastards, these demons that we have.” Spilling the gut was evidentially eventual. Those who remain silent are obviously too embarrassed to express their feelings.
Those who do not reject his statement are his endorsers. “If the senior members are doing it the junior members will automatically take the same position and posture,” a civil society commentator had once remarked. Old Man Time is very patient but passionate when it comes to punctuality.
Former Minister of State Dawn Hastings-Williams had publicly rejected the Caribbean Court of Justice’s appellate jurisdiction about the validity of the No-Confidence Motion, passed in the National Assembly in December 2018, after a mere 24 hours. This cavalier type of attitude is laughable now that the PPP/C Party is in government. The PPP/C Party do not have to rig any election, unlike the PNC.
Happy Republic Day Guyana.
Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall