Dear Editor,

AS expected, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is carrying out its public relations role and will continue to do so, as one of the public mouthpieces of the opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). Its virally dishonest letter, “PSC urges compliance with CJ ruling” in the Guyana Chronicle of February 02, instant, is a clear example of this slavish role.

It has no choice, since, after all, so many of its constituent parts were bountiful recipients of great largesse in the form of concessions etcetera from the PPP/C. It is a clear case of pay-back time, for and on behalf of its chief benefactor, Bharrat Jagdeo, when he was president.

The scenario is no different to the capitulation of the majority of the PPP/C’s Central Committee, most of whose members owe their political rise and other forms of socio-political recognition/status, to their party leader. As expected, they repaid his patronage by rubber-stamping his nominee for the party’s presidential candidate.
The PSC’s call for what it has described as “compliance” with the “court’s ruling”, and further requesting that such a decision be respected, is misguided, as it is intended to be misleading.

First, in a manner that is in the same treacherous category as Charrandass, such a statement is intended to convey a government that is prepared to disobey/ignore the court’s ruling. Categorically, this has never been the coalition’s intention and is not at this extant time, or any other, as far as the evidence informs. However, such a misleading contention continues to be part of the false narrative peddled by the PPP/C and its shameful, slavish mouthpieces. Instead, the truth and reality are that of a government, no more or less, than a citizen, having lost its case at a lower court, exercising its right to appeal its reasons at a higher level of the Court of Appeal. This is following due process, and not any attempt to subvert the constitution, as falsely claimed.

Secondly, such an action is similar to its appeal to the latter court and then to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), as in the matter of the now famous presidential third-term case. One can also refer to the PPP/C’s objections to the appointment of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), which the government won at both the High and Appeal Courts, and which has attracted an appeal to the CCJ, courtesy of the PPP/C. Thus, it is great hypocrisy for the PSC to want to convey such a vile impression on behalf of its political handler.

Thirdly, for the PSC to be asking “GECOM to declare its position….as a matter of public interest and necessity”, is a piece of vile pretence, done with the monstrous trick of misleading the public. It is an almost similar strategy akin to the PPP/C accusing this electoral body of racism in its staff employment, a contention that was politically disingenuous, as it was racist, and comprehensively discredited.

Editor, the PSC has deceptively referred to the “…public interest….”, conveying the impression that GECOM’S position is being awaited. Well, our public is well aware of the PPP/C’s treachery and its deceptive results that has unfairly pushed GECOM to a position when it is not in a state of electoral readiness. How can it be when the current national voters list is bloated and is in need of sanitisation? How can it also be, when there had already been a joint government/opposition agreement that there will be house-to-house registration before elections that are constitutionally due in 2020, for a cleansing of such a list?

Factor in the seminal issue of the question of thousands of prospective electors who would have attained majority age, since 2015, and not registered. In fact, these are the young voters whose Jagdeo’s suggestion of a two-week claim and objections period of sanitising the list, will result in their being disenfranchised. If this is not the actions of a leader totally unconcerned about the human rights of citizens, then Saddam Hussein was a better leader in that respect.

This is not a surprise, coming from a dictator who is hell bent on fulfilling his narrow selfish political aims, even if it means pushing the country towards the precipice.

What needs to be reminded of all, the entire nation, primarily the PSC and all the other vested interests and the PPP/C – you are bringing the constitution into disrepute and in a dishonest manner, by attempting to bend its sacred tenets to fit a very premature process, brought on by fraud. This cannot be democratic in any way. Instead, it is an affront to this great tenet.

By constantly bleating the refrain of the 90-day constitutional dateline for national elections, as a result of the results of the no confidence motion, which was riddled with outright dishonesty, because of its false premise; and the government’s decision to challenge its aspects, the latter is being dishonestly peddled as authoritarian, and a drift towards dictatorship. This is the work of sinister forces, continuing to unload what amounts to fake news, playing for the biggest stakes in this nation’s political history. In their mad rush for power, and to carve up this nation into their personal areas of wealth exploitation, as was formerly the case, they are unleashing other forces.

It is very unfortunate that a nation being gradually brought out from its more than two decades of suffering, now finds its socio-economic advancement and gains since 2015, threatened.

Regards,
Earl Hamilton