-APNU lashes out at comment
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has lashed out at President Donald Ramotar for describing the opposition’s one-seat majority in Parliament as a “dictator of one”.
APNU, in a statement on Monday, rejected President’s Ramotar’s comment that there is an opposition dictatorship in Parliament and that the elections were rigged to deny the ruling party a majority.
APNU is contending that it was not in a position to rig the elections given its financial constraints, and accused the ruling party of such corruption, in this regard.
The coalition is claiming that in its verification of the Statements of Poll, it has found that there were numerous discrepancies in the traditional PPP (People’s Progressive Party) strongholds.
However, the government has expressed disappointment at such utterances coming from the opposition, since both APNU and the Alliance For Change (AFC) had rejected a proposal put forward by President Ramotar to conduct a forensic audit of the results of the Regional and General Elections last November.
When the matter was first raised with the then President-elect Donald Ramotar, just after the announcement of the elections result last year, he had proposed that they go back to the box, as in the case of what took place after the elections in 1997, if the opposition had any doubt in mind.
He told the opposition parliamentary parties that he was prepared to live with the outcome of such exercise.
President Ramotar at a media conference last Friday said it is unfortunate that after all its attempt for a re-verification of the elections result, APNU continues to paint itself as the victim in the process.
He said, in doing so, APNU has brought into question the integrity and competence of its very own supporters and polling agents, who were also either scrutineers and or counting agents.
In 2006 after the end of the elections, the database at the GECOM was praised by independent observers as the best the country ever had and, urged that it should be built upon.
However, the Peoples National Congress (PNC) insisted and started making threats for a new registration process. There was an agreement that the new registration process would be introduced, moving away from the one that was considered the best in the country.
This agreement was brokered to ensure that there were no doubts with regards to the electoral system; however, the opposition is now questioning the process.
He also remains confident that the PPP/C got a decisive victory of more than 50 percent of the national votes at the last elections.
He challenged the opposition to go back to the box if they want to prove him wrong.
The president said, it is clear that APNU wants to rewrite history, and are trying to hide from their past.
APNU’s recent report on its findings from its independent verification of the statements of poll (SOP) is deemed as an act of grandstanding.
However, regarding the party’s findings from its independent verification of the SOP cannot undo an offer put forward by President Ramotar, which they all rejected.
APNU in its findings revealed that there were instances of misconduct and illegal acts with regards to the hosting of last year’s elections, and blamed GECOM for its complicity in the misdemeanors.
In addition, the partnership said that its finding does not provide a reliable basis of who won the presidency.
APNU‘s findings from its independent verification of its statements of poll is being deemed as an attempt of grandstanding by the ruling PPP/C government.
Meanwhile, with regards to the situation in Parliament, the Guyanese leader lamented that the combined opposition parliamentary parties missed an opportunity to work along with government in the interest of the nation.
President Ramotar’s commented that “the parliament is characterized as a dictatorship of one by APNU and AFC” neither party having won a majority of votes over the lawful PPP/C government, which has the largest bloc of votes.
Such actions, according to the Guyanese Head of State, were demonstrated since the first meeting to elect the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
Despite several attempts by President Ramotar to meet with the opposition parliamentary parties to reach a consensus, the parties went ahead and elected an AFC Speaker and APNU Deputy Speaker, a complete breach of parliamentary norms.
Another issue which lends weight to the President’s comment is the manner in which the election of the committee of selection was conducted.
Again, the President and the opposition parliamentary parties had discussed at meetings where the issue of the size of the composition of the Members of the Parliamentary Committees was raised and to uphold the constitutional provisions with regard to proportionality of the electoral strength of the parties at the elections.
Both the APNU and the AFC ignored this and proceeded to take a majority in the committee of selection.
APNU is being accused of embarking on a campaign to rewrite history and to sow confusion among the population as it seeks to justify its behaviour after November 28, 2011 elections rather than admitting that it is deliberately misleading its supporters and the nation by extension.
Government believes that it should offer an apology.