Dear Editor,
AS a citizen of Guyana watching the progress of our 2020 elections I am deeply concerned about the misinformation  permeating our society, threatening  the body politic of our nation but more specifically the credibility  and outcome of our 2020 elections.  Our nation has witnessed attack upon attack on the credibility of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), and the Chairperson of GECOM who until now has had an unblemished and distinguished professional and character record.

Prior to the 2020 elections, I also recall no such attacks on the Secretariat and Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of GECOM as we hear now.  The PPP/C and their various support team members, including sections of the media, however, want us to believe the credibility of GECOM has been destroyed by Mr. Clairmont Mingo. He has once again become the “fall guy” who is responsible for the PPP/C areas in the lower East Coast Demerara producing 41 ballot boxes without statutory documentation, and evidence circulating to this effect is allegedly implicating his clerk.

I know neither of these two individuals (Mr. Mingo nor Ms. Duncan), but I see where the possibility exists how they are being framed and used as scapegoats to take the blame for  the dastardly acts of  possible electoral fraud committed by others . This impacts not only these two individual,s but also the credibility and efficiency of GECOM, whilst providing shelter for those who know exactly why the documentations are missing, and where they can be located. The racial connotations behind their being targeted are also noted. But that requires a separate review.

I refer to an article published by Kaieteur News dated 6th May 2020 and captioned, “Mingo had instructed POs to leave documents out of ballot boxes”.  Said article states, “The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is in possession of the missing statutory documents from Region Four ballot boxes on the East Coast of Demerara, documents that were ‘missing’ because Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo had passed instructions that they be left out of the boxes since Elections night.”

The above is premised on a statement made by Deputy Returning Officer (DRO) from Chateau Margot Primary, Paul Jaisingh, who, in a letter to GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh, explained the “instructions from Miss. Carlyn Duncan (Clerk to the Returning Officer Mr. Clairmont Mingo-District # 4)”.  Said email by DRO Paul Jaisingh triggered a widely-circulated article on social media. A telephone conversation purportedly supplied evidence of the conversation held.

Take note of this conversation below, as I submit, DRO JaiSingh’s claim is likely an attempt to frame Mingo and cover electoral fraud:

I submit if the evidence circulating about Mr. Mingo and Ms. Duncan is true , then so is the evidence submitted in this letter to prove there was a conversation as recent as today (June 9th 2020) between  Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan. They are alive and squabbling over these elections.  Technology can make most things possible and believable. As was the case of the letter with Justice Claudette Singh’s signature. It can also be used to generate official emails copied to others. We have to be on the alert in this information/technology age and not be gullible.

Regards,
Debra Archer