Dear editor,

IN a few days it will be the first year of the PPP/C administration being in office. While their accomplishments have been remarkable, I wish to take this time to remind Guyanese of the despicable actions of the APNU+AFC coalition leading up to the August 2nd declaration.

It is important that we do not forget the attempts made by the APNU+AFC cabal after March 2, 2020, as the five months after the elections was one of Guyana’s most difficult periods. After the General and Regional elections concluded on March 2nd last year, we saw many blatant attempts to stymie the will of the electorate through fraud, with the obvious beneficiary being the coalition. This all started with Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo’s attempt to declare fictitious figures in favour of the coalition. The APNU+AFC created an atmosphere of chaos after that at Ashmin’s building. They resorted to the familiar PNC tactic of thuggery and intimidation by mobilising their supporters outside of the building. It is my view that they wanted to create havoc, so as to further alter the results of the elections in some way. The true colours of the coalition came out during that time.

When Mingo’s bedsheet spreadsheet failed, Lowenfield was activated. He then sought to unlawfully disenfranchise thousands of voters to the benefit of the APNU+AFC once again. During this time, Guyanese were fearful of a return to the dark days of the PNC dictatorship. Economic activity came to a standstill. Meanwhile, the coalition’s big-wigs used the period as an opportunity to further engage in massive transfers of state assets and wanton acts of corruption. Little to no regard was paid to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the country and its citizens.
The coalition spoon fed its supporters on a daily diet of fake news and false hope, knowing fully well that it had lost the elections. It hid its copies of the SoPs and claimed victory – even hosting a celebration at which President Granger gave congratulatory remarks. The PPP/C had no issue releasing its copies of the Region Four SoPs for the public to see, which showed a victory in its favour.

It took five long months of struggling and fighting to ensure that democracy and the will of the people prevailed. Decent-minded Guyanese never gave up in the struggle to preserve their democracy. They dealt accordingly with every single one of the coalition’s rigging attempts. With its one-year tenure approaching, the PPP/C deserves to be commended for all its efforts. Guyanese, let us keep on supporting our government and keep on rejecting the attempts of the spineless cabal, the APNU+AFC, to derail progress in our beloved nation.

For your consideration,
Yours sincerely,
Attiya Baksh