Dear Editor,
LEADING up to and since the March 2020 General and Regional Elections, the new PNC/R leader Aubrey Norton has habitually unleashed several scathing attacks on Justice Claudette Singh, Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). His sustained approach of this relentless attitude against many of our key institutions is evidenced by public remarks laden with condemnation of the decision of our courts, the Caribbean Court of Justice, and more recently, disparaging criticisms of President Ali’s appointment of Clifton Hicken as Commissioner of Police (ag).
These without a doubt have been callous, wanton, without merit, lacking justification, and deserving of vehement condemnation. Certainly, the adopted posture is one-track and is also known to have realised a heavy frictional position within the PNC/R leadership that lends itself to the testimony of the extended period it is taking for the replacement of Ms Henry and Mr Harmon as representative Members of Parliament. This does not augur well for objective or constructive engagements as they highlight the PNC/R’s akin syndrome of non-objectivity in their selections to oppose and denunciate in an attempt to gain convenient visibility.
The frequent accompanying lack of candour from the PNC/R and the ‘two-bit’ supporting groupings making up the APNU camp suggest that these shallow interventions merely target the attraction of publicity. Likewise, the voluminous silence of the three-membership civil society group in these critical areas presents a pail picture of impartiality. In comparison with other logical observers and commentators, these continuous, clumsy, contemptuous, and ‘wishy-washy’ remarks are certainly exposing an infantile mentality. Please permit me, therefore, to defragment a bit on these two areas for want of necessary public clarification.
Norton’s thunderous silence concerning the evidence-fuelled and corrupt behaviour of those PNC/R underlings from among the GECOM officials now facing charges for electoral fraud, emphasises why he should be silent in the first place. One cannot plea the so-call ‘fifth amendment’ and suddenly expects the world to see them as rudimentary, transparent and correct. Norton is on record during the ridiculous five months when the ‘riggers’ were in action, supporting the efforts to rig the 2020 National and Regional Elections. Therefore, his remarks that the Chairperson of the Commission is not independent, partisan, along with his ugly outburst that she must go is without merit. Further, his obnoxious position that her presence will not facilitate ‘free and fair elections,’ is indeed most damning and intolerable.
As the new PNC leader, Norton did not hesitate to criticise the appointment of Vishnu Persaud as the Chief Executive Officer of GECOM. This is although the process followed the procedures governed under the constitutionally guaranteed autonomy of GECOM and included the participation of APNU’s designated commissioners.
It must be noted that he and the PNC never condemned the riggers who were employed in GECOM and are now before the courts for their notorious behaviour while working at GECOM. The Guyanese people are now calling on the PNC General Council to come out and oppose Norton’s unwanted criticism of the eminent Justice Claudette Singh. Furthermore, the so-called Civil Society and Article 13 Group must now let the nation know if they too are in support of all these provocative, loose statements that are being spurted from this “let-loose” creature called Norton.
Editor, please permit me to touch on President Ali’s choice of Mr Hickens, who has all the necessary credentials as acting Commissioner of Police. It is known that in appointing a substantive Commissioner of Police, the Constitution provides that the “Commissioner of Police and every Deputy Commissioner of Police shall be appointed by the President, acting after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of the Police Service Commission after the Chairperson has consulted with the other members of the Commission.” His Excellency President Ali has recently reiterated his commitment to this process when the time arrives.
The proceeding on retirement leave by the previous acting Commissioner, Mr Hoppie, has created a vacancy that must be filled, albeit, temporarily at the President’s discretion in the key constitutional agency. The life of the previous Police Service Commission has expired after being initially suspended by the President for justified reasons affecting consultations, and its resuscitation has suffered due to challenges still to be decided in the courts.
Further, it is not surprising that since the resignation of Mr Harmon, Guyana is still without a Leader of the Opposition. Perhaps the present leader of the PNC lacks the necessary leadership qualities to convince his peers in the executive of his party. Mr Norton’s aspiring parliamentary rise to this position is preceded by some concerns evidenced by the slow decision-making of his party. He was previously kicked out of Parliament by the PNC and also radically booted out during his earlier tenure of General-Secretary of the party.
This apparent lack of respect by many who have significant influence in the PNC seemingly lends to stronger measures of uncertainty and impeeds meaningful consultation. Before Norton continues his rants and attacks on our institutions, the PPP’s General-Secretary Dr Bharrat Jagdeo whose ilk he could never measure up to, he may be better served by fighting internally to earn the respect of his party peers who may approve of his struggles to get back as a second-string parliamentarian.
Guyana under the PPP/C is doing extremely well. This nation needs to stay united and work together to build a stronger and better Guyana. However, our people must respect our Constitution, our leaders, and our institutions.
Yours sincerely,
Neil Kumar