Dear Editor,
ON January 30, 2020, online news media, News Source Guyana published an article captioned, “Jagdeo writes GECOM with concerns of inside “rigging.” In the report Jagdeo claims to have a number of concerns.

The opposition leader stated that he wrote GECOM about the following: polling day procedures; how the Statement of Polls will be transmitted and tabulation of results.  Mr. Jagdeo also states that he is also concerned about the staff of GECOM and preparations for the upcoming polls. He suggests how he thinks presiding officers and returning officers should be placed, particularly in Region Four.

Mr. Jagdeo’s purported “concerns” highlight the following issues: first, his concerns seem more like him wanting to instruct GECOM as if he was its chair. It appears as though Mr. Jagdeo forgot that GECOM is an independent body that gets its autonomy and authority from the Guyana Constitution. It’s therefore mindboggling that Mr. Jagdeo would presumptuously write GECOM to tell it how to do its job. Does Mr. Jagdeo believe that his role as opposition leader gives him the authority to direct GECOM on how to place its staff? Or is he telling us that when he was president, he also directed GECOM on how to place its staff? I have been watching the PPP, its media arms and Mr. Jagdeo’s attack on GECOM and it is becoming very clear what their strategy is. They have not succeeded in their efforts to rattle the very formidable female chairperson, so they have occasioned an all-out, brazen attack on the elections commission and its system. Outlined in Mr. Jagdeo’s “concerns” appears to be a blueprint of how the PPP might have rigged and interfered with prior elections.

Mr. Jagdeo has given GECOM an insight into the PPP’s plan. It appears to be a plan to disrupt the elections, as the statement of polls are being transmitted? Will this kind of disruption hasten or give credence to his prior rigging claims? And, why did he single out Region Four in his letter to GECOM? Those of us who have been analysing the PPP’s politics, we know that Region Four has always been their target. This region has been the PNCR’s support base over the years and it remains the most populated region in the country. The PPP, over the 23 years in power, has made every effort to dismantle Region Four and reduce its impact in the elections. They have made every effort to change the outlook of the region but that still did not work; people are wiser. So, allegations of rigging in Region Four after the results are declared seems like an obvious plan.

I believe Mr. Jagdeo and the PPP are prepping for a “foul claim.” They also seem bent on interfering or influencing GECOM as it prepares for these most consequential elections. The APNU+AFC must analyse Jagdeo’s “concerns” and ensure that it is prepared to mitigate any efforts by the opposition to derail the holding of free and transparent elections in Guyana. While GECOM has a responsibility to ensure that there is no interference, other stakeholders also have a responsibility to ensure that they act to ensure that elections are free and fair. People must therefore be extra vigilant! Mr. Jagdeo seemed to have outlined how he and the PPP may play their cards on elections day. His utterances and apparent concerns must be carefully examined. The intentions of a desperate soul knows no boundary!

The second reason for Mr. Jagdeo’s spurious rigging claims is to distract and cover for his own failure and nervousness. It is clear that the APNU+AFC campaign has been attracting an unparalleled degree of enthusiasm. This is reflected at every community meeting and major rallies across the country. When small street-corner meetings turn out to be mini rallies, the PPP must be nervous. Since the launching of the APNU+AFC campaign, this enthusiasm has risen to a level that is causing the PPP much panic. They have become so panic-stricken and fearful of these crowds that the PPP’s presidential candidate, in one of his social media posts, wrote that “crowds don’t win elections” and on the other hand trying to create a campaign crowd.

Jagdeo and the PPP know that the tide is going against them, so, rather than waving the white rag early, they have decided to openly attack the electoral process and try to discredit the GECOM chairperson, whom they earlier stated was the ideal candidate for the job. Jagdeo and the PPP are attempting to preplan their defence for post-elections results. Mr. Jagdeo is aware that the average PPP voters are not excited about the candidate he handpicked for them. This reality is reflected in their campaign rallies and public meetings, even in their traditional constituencies.  He is therefore planning to explain away his failed tactic at the PPP’s selection process. He will be too ashamed to admit that he made a bad decision to bully the central executive committee of the PPP into forcing Ali into the presidential candidate spot. He has now become a one-man defence of his candidate. So, he holds solo press conferences, without even allowing the candidate to interact with the press. The few times he allowed Ali to sit at duo press conferences, he instructed him not to speak on matters directly concerning he, Ali.

So even though Ali alone would have relevant information about personal matters that concern him, Mr. Jagdeo told him to stay mute. For example, matters such as Irfaan Ali’s qualifications: Bharrat Jagdeo told Ali not to answer questions from the media about that subject. All this is done to attempt to preserve his, Jagdeo’s, own interest and has nothing to do with Ali. Jagdeo knows that when Ali is defeated, that would be the second largest blotch on his political career, the first of course is the death squad. So, Ali’s losing will be the PPP’s biggest opportunity to push Jagdeo in the corner, and that he cannot contemplate. Jagdeo has tied his future to Ali’s candidacy. Like the rest of the PPP, he is seeing the writing on the wall so he has begun to plan to protect his political image.

Ali is just a conduit in this process! Guyanese are enthusiastic and it isn’t about Irfaan Ali, Jagdeo and the PPP. In fact, they are passionate to return the coalition to power, Jagdeo and the PPP know this. Guyanese have experienced progress in the last four years and they are not prepared to let a single act of deceit reverse their lives.

In these last few weeks before the elections there are likely to be even more claims of elections rigging by the PPP and their surrogates; there are likely to be more allegations and scandals thrown in the public spaces. All these accusations and unnerved generalisations are intended to distract and divert attention from the fact that the people are focused on returning the coalition to government on March 2, 2020. Jagdeo’s rigging claims are red herrings intended to fit into his broader scheme of things which he seems bent on executing on March 2, 2020. Guyanese stay awake! Not even bogus claims can stop the enthusiasm.
Sincerely
Lurlene Nestor