Dear Editor,

THIS letter constitutes a sincere plea for sanity and justice to prevail in our beloved but beleaguered Guyana.

After Election 2020, we have faced over a month of stress and strains.
When President Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo signed an MOU to have the recount of the 2020 votes, the majority of us felt relieved. But, as happened before, that was not to be the end of a sad story.

Be that as it may, GECOM will at least be able to do its work, and get on with the recount of all 10 Regions. But this exercise must not be one of the arithmetic of counting the ballots in each and every ballot box.

If we did, then as a simple counting process, we would have betrayed our ancestors, ignored the sacrifice and struggle of those of us who fought for Independence, and, worst of all let-down succeeding generations.

First, as each ballot box is opened for public scrutiny, we need to have the number of votes recorded as for that particular polling place. Second, the number of voters on the electoral roll of each and every Polling Place/Division and the number of votes purportedly cast and the percentage thereof.

Thirdly, the number of persons allowed to vote without an Identification Card or valid Passport. Fourth, the numbers who voted by ‘proxy’, and to have those proxies examined for authenticity. Fifth, the number of spoilt votes in each and every box. Finally, the count should be broadcast live, so that every citizen at home and abroad will be a defacto Observer.

The persons or representatives of the major parties is sufficient.

Of what use will Observers be? Put everything on a television screen, and in this way, all of us will be truly concerned Observers.

Dear Editor, let me add as follows:-

I have been intimate with Elections since as a teenager. I worked with Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham in the 1953 General Elections, when, for the first time in our history, ordinary people were allowed to vote.

That was a time of much excitement and coping with the ‘Cold War.’
Yet the turnout was 74.6%. This turnout rate has been a pattern more or less, as is the case of many democratic countries. For whatever reason, we aborted the house-to-house registration and, therefore, went into the 2020 Elections with a bloated list. Of course, this opened the door for potential inflation, or, if you wish, skullduggery.

After all, nowhere are Elections the business of Sisters of Mercy or Angels from Above.
In other words, we must demand, not a naked counting of votes, but the accounting of all votes. This record must bring us as close as possible to the truth. For many years I stood at the mouth of the mighty river and experienced the ebb and flood of our political tides. The Courts, as important as they are, Observers and political grand-standing will not bring the peace, progress and national unity every sane and sensible Guyanese look forward to.

Regards,
Hamilton Green