–our leaders must sit and talk… in order to design a system that will allow us to live in peace

Dear Editor,
CITIZENS and friends of Guyana at home and abroad should be thankful for Mr. Stanley Ming’s clarity in dealing with the most worrisome aspect of our recent National and Regional Elections.

In an earlier contribution, I was among those who urged the urgency of constitutional reform, on the assumption that a precursor should be the meeting of minds of our political leaders who represent the two major groupings in our society.

Having lived through the troubles of the 1950s, the challenges of change of the ‘64-‘92 period, and the 1992-2015 PPP/C Administration, it is clear that a sort of attitudinal somersault is necessary if we are to save our country and citizens from the stress, strain and insanity that characterized Guyana 54 years after independence.
Publicly, I express great disquiet that we should go into what we all called the Mother of all Elections in 2020 with a tainted list.

On this score, we must all thank Patriot, Mr. Stanley Ming for his analysis and production of figures.
YEAR OFFICIAL LIST OF ELECTORS TURNOUT VALID VOTES 1997 462,415 408,003 399,258 2001 440,186 403,706 396,506 2006 492,369 341,426 336,671 2011 475,495 342,236 342,236

QUESTION: How is it possible that for 2015, the OLE contained 570,787 persons with a voter turnout of 416,055 and 412,912 valid votes?
This shows that compared to 2011, the OLE increased by 95,291; the voter turnout increased by 73,819, and valid votes increased by 70,676.
For an OLE in 2020 of 660,998 persons, with 65% of the population being 18 years and older, the current population should be approximately 1,016,000.
It must be noted that in 1992, when the population was approximately 745,000, and about the same as it is presently, the OLE was 384, 195 with 303,176 valid votes.
For 2020, with approximately the same population, the OLE is now 660,998, an increase of 72% with valid votes of 440,000. An increase of 45%!

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!!
The watchword coming from all quarters, Government, Opposition, Friends, Soothsayers, aliens and foreigners is the credibility of Elections 2020.
Listening to observations coming from both sides of the political divide, it is clear that the end of the present re-count will produce a result that will be considered credible by less than half of our population.

This truism is a recipe for contention, confusion and who knows, conflict.
This constitutes an unhappy and dangerous political environment for this and succeeding generations to inherit.

But which sane or perceptive individual can deny the validity of the above analysis?
Elections everywhere, National, Regional, Community, Associations et al. have never produced a satisfactory situation if the parties/groups taking part hold the Elections with a list that is inflated.

The simple logic is, if we begin this so-called democratic process of Elections with an imperfect list, it is palpable that the result will be equally imperfect.
Last week, I noted that an Election is not the business of Sisters-of-Mercy, Angels or Saints.

The figures provided by Mr. Stanley Ming are verifiable. This in itself puts into question the credibility of Elections itself.
The people of Guyana accept that, for whatever reason, we have failed to overcome the suspicion and fears of the two major ethnic groups in Guyana, whether the Philosopher or Historian wishes to blame it on slavery and the concerns of the freed slaves that the European plantocracy, in one master move, removed their post-slavery bargaining power by introducing Indentured Labourers. This, of course, is another matter.

The fact that we have troubled waters suggests the need for a solid bridge over the troubled water.
Our Leaders must sit and talk, and talk, and talk in order to design a system that will allow us to live in peace, with plenty.

Allow us to recognize that we must be correctly cautious when we embrace outside intervention and the big brother manipulation.
When our Leaders meet, and I hope soon, it must be against the background that there will be certain non-negotiables.
First, it must be justice for every citizen. Then, of course, the reasonable distribution of wealth, the opportunities must be based on no other criteria, but suitability and competence.

Second, that all sides agree to zero-tolerance for corruption in every form, and that society must be unafraid to punish and expose those who violate the rules, and laws agreed to as a result of a consensus.
I am copying this brief appeal for sense and sanity prevail to our Leaders for their cogitation and action.

But, Mr. Editor, that process will take some time, particularly in an environment where there is an element of distrust.
My humble suggestion is this:

GECOM should be required:

(1) To complete a national house-to-house registration of electors;

(2) subject to the legal constitutional position that the post-recount Government agree to facilitate National Elections within a few first months after the conclusion of the national House-to-House registrations, claim, objections, verification, et al; and

(3) the search should begin to identify electoral officers who have no known ties to any particular political parties.

Hope springs eternal in the human breast; young and old must be optimistic.
As an aside, I was tempted to respond to the imperial-like arrogance and disdain for other people as contained in the reply published on Friday by the Carter Center.

I ask them to digest the meaning and significance of the words found in the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 7 vs 5 “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shall Thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thine brother’s eye.”

Regards,
Hamilton Green