Dear Editor,

THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) cannot be divorced from the trials and tribulations imposed on our nation over the past two years. In fact, GECOM’s failure to uphold and deliver on its constitutional mandate is central to the heightened threats to our democratic stability from which our nation still reels, and is desperate for corrective action and recovery.
The related issues which stem from the PNC’s known and expected treacherous ilk — that only points to the need for a more robust level of administration by those appointed to function autonomously in the elections commission. One should, therefore, blame GECOM solely for the organisation’s facilitation of the PNC’s undercurrent manoeuvres that have held our people to ransom.

The laxity of the GECOM commission to act and address this unfavoured indecency by secretariat staff under its control is most disappointing. The derogatory actions of key administrative staff have contributed to the wanton, lawless exercise by the PNC-led APNU+AFC. By now, the nation is well aware that the desperate court actions are among the desperate schemes of the cabal to fool and keep what’s left of its membership interested.
The many elaborate, advantageous contortions GECOM officials allowed the APNU+AFC Coalition were obvious in the many unbelievable but futile actions taken by this shameless cabal. The High Court’s recent dismissal of the elections petition filed by the Coalition is another definitive judicial position of annulment regarding their effort to vitiate the 2020 General and Regional Elections. It is clear however that none of this would have happened had the GECOM officials done the correct thing to uphold the integrity of the institution. The reaction of Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon to condemn the judiciary and the Honourable Chief Justice is but yet another affirmation that they would stop at nothing to derail a democratic outcome in Guyana. As a consequence, we must ensure that Guyanese must never again be made to endure the travesty of ‘Rigged and fraudulent Elections again.’

It must be crystal clear that with the passing of the no-confidence motion on the night of 21st December, 2019, national elections were due within three months. However, the PNC cabals took to the underhand manipulation of our judicial system to effectively frustrate and postpone National and Regional Elections by filing and placing for the consideration of the courts, the most irrational considerations.
The activation of the plot clearly had its lineage in the move by PNC/Granger to plant ‘riggers’ in GECOM, who were taking directions from the party.
This nation had to unite and fight tooth and nail to get the relevant changes step by step. The first victory was the removal of then President Granger’s self-appointed James Patterson as Chairman of the Commission. Then we had the unacceptable ‘House-to-House’ Registration aborted. These key actions certainly derailed the PNC’s plans and led to a measure of uncertainty as the nation came out in their thousands in peaceful protests, to demand that Granger name the date for elections.
Notwithstanding all of the ‘riggers’ in place at the GECOM Secretariat and the PNC fully prepared to rig the elections, the PPP/C went to the polls. These National and

Regional Elections were peacefully and successfully held on 2nd March, 2020. The APNU+AFC declared that the elections were free and fair.
However, after the verification process was completed in nine regions, the PNC cabals decided to use GECOM to derail the elections. They blatantly attempted to rig the Region Four votes by introducing the unacceptable spreadsheet. This is not the first time that the wicked elements at GECOM tried to use broadsheets to rig elections and we can no longer tolerate these inefficacies. Guyana has had enough of ‘Rigged and Fraudulent’ elections and our nation must do everything to make sure that we achieve free and fair elections at all times going forward. To this end, the thieves in GECOM must be removed. Of note was the reluctance of the GECOM chairperson to act, given that the petition was still to be ruled on in the courts. There are certainly no acceptable excuses now! With the PNC’s history of rigging elections and their attempts to derail the 2020 elections, condoning any further undercurrents in GECOM will not be tolerated. It is now imperative that all Guyana struggle for all the necessary changes to take place inside GECOM.

Yours sincerely,

Neil Kumar