Dear Editor,

LIKE every Guyanese that contributed to the development of our beloved country, Major General (Retired) Joe Singh must be commended for his outstanding service to Guyana, in many areas. I for one have the greatest respect for this gentleman. But for some strange reason, he has faltered badly in his open letter to His Excellency, President David Granger: “Former army chief, Joe Singh, to Granger… call off the doges of war, (Kaieteur News, March 19, 2020”
I would note that Mr. Singh used more than 1,200 words in his letter to President Granger, but not one word or symbol to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo. So, without any shred of evidence, Mr. Singh has determined, by the tone and content of his letter, that it is President Granger who is at fault and needs to do the right thing. I am not surprised, but profoundly disappointed.

Beyond the rhetoric and offers of forgiveness on the part of the Major General (Retired) to the President for deeming him not “fit and proper”, and warnings of unforgiveness if the President does not call off the dogs of war, and allow the votes to be recounted, Exeter-Cathedral, the constitutional and legal structures of Guyana, the general content of the letter comprised of platitudes, assumptions, speculations and an attempt to moralise on the rightness of the consistent position taken by His Excellency, of allowing GECOM to do its work. The President has neither breached the Constitutional provisions nor broken one jot or tittle of any law in Guyana, in this matter of elections in this country. **He has been properly biding his time and space. However, the phase “… call off the dogs of war” has caught my attention. The phase was used by Mark Antony In Julius Caesar: “Cry Havoc! And let slip the dogs of war.” But in order for the dogs to be called off, we have to find their owner/s. The series of events that unfolded beginning from March 3, 2020 to date, should provide some clues:

**First, there was a massive invasion of the GECOM Command Centre on High Street. Those who were involved in this indecent and uncivilised centrally-directed action include: Members of the upper echelon and members of the PPP/C; and executives and members of the PSC and GCCI. Also, there were members of recently-formed baby parties, and surprise, surprise, some observers and members of the international community on mission here in Guyana. That raging group verbally and physically abused police ranks and members of staff of GECOM. It appears as though they broke down the door to the outer office used by the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission. They could be heard screaming and shouting, and behaving in a manner beyond disorderly; mad. Leader of the Opposition Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo could be heard, in the video I saw, issuing instructions and even prompting observers to go forward to invade the official space of the Chairperson of GECOM.

No member of the APNU/AFC Coalition was involved in this shocking event.
On that same day, a certain Attorney at Law was seen in a video clip on social media threating two young female ranks of the Guyana Police Force about losing their jobs because they had no instructions to allow him to go into the building. He, the attorney, called on Dr. Ali to mark the faces of those two females, so that when he gets into office their jobs would be in jeopardy.

Then, there was a press conference by the PPP/C and eight other baby parties attacking GECOM and the Returning Officer for Region Four, accusing him of fraud. Interestingly, whilst the baby parties shouted and continue to shout fraud, they did not even have the capacity to afford agents to be present at the different polling stations in Georgetown, let alone in other parts of the country. They could not collect statements of poll; they relied on one of the larger parties to help them out.

Then there was the injunction, granted to a supporter of the PPP/C, by Justice Navindra Singh, against GECOM, the Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield, and Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo. Then, the subsequent ruling by Acting Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire that the declaration made by the Returning Officer in Region 4 was unlawful and in breach of the Representation of the People Act. And orders and consequential orders to GECOM and the Returning Officer of Region four.
Then, there was the contempt proceedings brought against the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Returning Officer for Region 4, by the PPP/C. This party is trying to litigate an election petition by way of injunctions upfront. This action continues to impede much-needed progress in the electoral process.

Also, there is Mercury Public Affairs Corporation, hired by the PPP/C to the tune of $34M. This is the same company which is using lobbyists to tell stories about Guyana to get American Congressmen to threaten sanctions against Guyana for elections fraud. There is no election petition before Guyana’s courts. The elections have not been concluded, but since the counting of ballots started in Region 4, there has been talk and almost daily reports in our media about sanctions. I suspect that forces are trying to influence the elections outcome in a particular way.

Then there is the public relations arm of the PPP/C, the Private Sector Commission, blasting the sole constitutional body for elections in Guyana, GECOM, and making all kinds of fanciful statements at regular press conferences and interviews about fraudulent elections.
In the face of all of those events and much more, President Granger and his team have hardly said a word. The President himself has made two press statements, and Director-General Harmon has done about two interviews in the press. The President continues to encourage his supporters to be peaceful, and allow GECOM to do its work. APNU/AFC supporters have not been involved in violence of any sort. In spite of provocations by other groups, all is peaceful.

If the Major General (Retired) takes a careful look at those few events mentioned in this letter, then he would have much more than an idea about the owner (s) of ‘the dogs of war’. Certainly, those “dogs” could not be owned or handled by His Excellency, President David Granger. I do believe that the request by Mr. Singh is misdirected. Finally, I would urge the Major General (Retired) that the next time he attempts to do an open letter in the press on a national political situation, to speak and/or write to all actors involved. Biases, prejudices, and one-sidedness erode credibility and trust, and betray pretensions of sincerity and love for country. Only the owner (s) of “the dogs of war” can call them off.

Regards,
Gregory Howe