…Ramjattan blames rouge elements

SENIOR members of the Alliance For Change (AFC) had raised grave concerns over President David Granger’s selection of Justice (ret’d) James Patterson to be Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), citing his age and other issues, but party Chairman, Khemraj Ramjattan has slammed whom he described as “rogue elements” for leaking confidential emails to the public.

The AFC has been at pains over the past few weeks to explain its role in the selection of the GECOM Chairman although at all times, it has distanced itself from the selection process. Party officials through leaked emails indicated the fledgling political party at the level of leadership has had a hand in at least advising President Granger on how the selection could be done.

This latest leak comes only two days after the party, which forms a major part of the coalition government at the weekend during its quarterly National Executive Committee (NEC) which was attended by the national leadership and representatives from all regions and the diaspora, formally endorsed the party’s decision to lend support to the decision of President Granger in appointing Justice Patterson as GECOM Chairman. Back in October, the AFC in a statement shortly after Justice Patterson’s appointment had said it is in full support of the President’s decision to appoint him (Patterson) while noting that the appointment had averted a looming constitutional crisis.

Concerned about leaks
Contacted on the issue Wednesday, Ramjattan told the Guyana Chronicle that the party is concerned about the leakage of emails but noted that the emails of themselves demonstrate that there is full democracy within the party. “There must be concerns because indeed this was a conversation to educate and edify members and executives within the various chapters as to the reasons why we did what we did,” he told this newspaper, while noting that “certain matters would be private and confidential” and there is a reasonable expectation that responsible membership would not leak such correspondence, and moreover in totality, to the public.

“In the thinking process—in coming to decisions– very frank and without prejudice views are generally the method used to make decisions. We want frank debates—the frankness is now exhibited here — only for rogue elements to leak them to the public,” the party chairman stated.

He said though it is an unfortunate situation, he is happy that the public is able to see the nature and quality of debating and deliberations within the leadership of the AFC before major decisions are made. “A very liberal, democratic mode,” he stated, while assuring that the views of each member is heard. Ramjattan said it is very unfortunate and quite distracting that people from the party are going to leak exchanges but stressed that it is democracy at work. “…that is what is going to platform this party to greater heights in the future, because its leadership allows all manner of views to be ventilated, we are not going to confine anybody,” he assured.

Not first leak
This is not the first leaked email correspondence of the AFC executive. In the first leaked email, Ramjattan disclosed that he and AFC Leader Raphael Trotman had advised the President that he could constitutionally appoint someone of his preference.
Meanwhile, in the second missive seen by the Guyana Chronicle, party executives expressed strong concerns over the President’s appointment of Justice Patterson.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had submitted three lists, all of which were rejected by President Granger. However, in keeping with a proviso in the constitution, the President after consulting with the opposition leader can of his own select someone he deems ‘fit and proper’ to chair the commission if the nominees put forward were to him unacceptable. It was under those circumstances that the head-of-state selected Justice Patterson.

But the President’s decision did not find favour with members of the AFC’s Canada Chapter. In fact, in a document compiled by General-Secretary of the Canada Chapter, Laurence Williams, a string of emails attached showed that former AFC General-Secretary and Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, had expressed concerns about the appointment. In the email, Patterson said “I have serious concerns with the decision to unilaterally appoint the chairman; interestingly, it has less to do with rigging of elections or the person but more to do with the process and the AFC principles.”

Patterson continued: “Another troubling issue is that our leaders (both past and present), have recommended a decision without the benefit of the collective. Surely you guys would have anticipated what the reaction of the members of this group would have been, if the President, as he has not done, heeded your advice and appointed a person outside of the submitted lists; you should have been aware that such a decision would not sit well with some members (me in particular) yet, it was given anyway.”

He described the appointment as ‘anti-AFC to the core,’ while noting that the AFC has been the party of choice for youths and progressive thinkers. “We have made it our duty to always nominate candidates who were not only academically qualified, but who also represented our vision of inclusiveness in areas such as gender, race, religion and of course, youth. Please recall that we opposed the appointment of now Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland on the sole basis of his age, we recommended the more youthful Stephen Fraser and Abiola Wong, we provided strong, passionate arguments why youth should prevail,” declared Patterson.

Additionally, the AFC executive member said it appears that the party has lost sight of the ‘big picture’ while pointing to it contesting the 2006 and 2011 elections. “GECOM was never a friend to the AFC’ and pointed to issues faced in Region 10 which had affected the party directly.

“Recall also that we used every available opportunity to highlight our issues; by us now agreeing to this appointment, I fear that we in effect lose our right to object, if on the off-chance we decide to contest the 2018 or 2020 elections as a single party,” said Patterson, who noted that he fears the party is no longer the one “I love and will go down fighting to keep alive.” He reminded that all is not lost, while stressing that the episodes only make the party stronger.

Difficult to go against
Ramjattan in response to Patterson’s concerns thanked him for being frank and noted that it was difficult for him to argue against them (the concerns) now that they are deemed unpopular. “But when I advised the President as I did, I was motivated by the war of attrition Jagdeo was taking to him and our coalition government by providing those ‘unfit and improper’ persons he did…the attrition was causing us to suffer delays in the functioning of GECOM, which would have put us to the brink of a precipice…which would have been another more unpopular development.”

Ramjattan said too that he advised the President as best as possible in the then circumstances. “But if by that there was a mea culpa then I apologise.” He urged his party members to ‘nail the lie that elections will be rigged and express clearly what the AFC will do to prevent that.”

Meanwhile, chairman of the AFC- USA Chapter Dr Rohan Somar in the exchange said the party’s announcement that it played no part in the selection process but yet supported the decision to avoid a constitutional crisis, makes ‘The AFC look weak and impotent.’

Former AFC Treasurer Dominic Gaskin, who is also Minister of Business acknowledged the constitutional process for the selection of a GECOM Chair. He said the said process allows the President to independently select a GECOOM Chair outside of the list provided by the opposition leader.

He said as Jagdeo elaborated on the matter of the appointment, the President “has been issuing cryptic one-liners presumably to maintain some strategic advantage over Jagdeo.” Gaskin believes the President’s posture “backfired badly, since Jagdeo had predicted a unilateral appointment and it has now come to pass making him the more credible messenger in the eyes of a large section of our population.”