Dear Editor,

THE Prime Minister of Barbados had referred to the fickle-minded PNC’s conniving political manoeuvres as “gamesmanship.”  Guyanese refer to them as humourously “politricks” which may momentarily tickle, but surely put them in a pickle.

Former President David Granger brazenly advertised his party’s modus operandi in gaining power in November 2017, when he addressed a gathering in Atlanta, Georgia, saying: “You have to ask yourself how the PNC gained office did in 1964? Ask yourself how did the PNC remain in office, and what did it do during that period? Ask yourself how did the PNC regain office in 2015, and ask yourself how will the PNC retain office after 2020?”

The answer is not calmly blowing in the wind but coldly reverberating in the prickled consciences of the guilty ones! More evidence required?

Guyanese suffered the indignity of being embarrassed both at home and abroad when the world watched a barefaced attempt at wholesale robbery of democracy, an election and a nation by the PNC party during the 2020 elections fiasco.

Still nurturing a painful wound from losing a fair and free election and wearing a political albatross around the neck, the party was further put to shame when their poor and porous election petition case dealing with the recount of the election result was thrown out by the Guyana Court of Appeal in December 2023.

This sealed the finality that the election was fair and free and Dr. Irfaan Ali was duly elected as the legal and legitimate President of Guyana. Ready to shake hands LOO?

It would appear as if that party took no pride in respecting the law, upholding the Constitution of the country and abiding by established rules and regulations in order to execute and maintain law and order.

A party, branded for life as “election riggers,” saw the CCJ throwing out their case in October 2022 when they challenged the results of the March 2, 2020 polls. In July, 2020, the CCJ ruled that the judgment handed down by the Guyana Court of Appeal on 22 June 2020, which judgment was used by the Chief Election Officer (CEO) to invalidate over 100,000 votes, was invalid. Humiliation identifies the PNC’s DNA?

The PNC is known for brute force and being a bully. Justice Wit, one of the five judges who had presided over Guyana’s constitutional case regarding GECOM Chairman Patterson had advised, “presidents should not be in court, they should govern.”

Former President Granger had asserted that, the requirements for the position of GECOM Chairman should incorporate the general characteristics of integrity, honesty, faithfulness and diligence and also, the person should have no political affiliation.

Apparently, past GECOM Chairman Reverend Patterson who was appointed by Granger was found lacking in these criteria which were so crucial and critical. A ruling delivered by the CCJ against the PNC on June 18, 2019, stated: “Justice Patterson [‘s] [appointment] as Chairman of the Elections Commission of Guyana was flawed and in breach of Article 161(2) of the Constitution.” Who was “fit and proppa?”

The PNC is infamous for illegal participation. On July 12, 2019, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruled that the no-confidence motion of December 21, 2018, was successfully carried. One of the PNC’s members voted against the party’s management in governing the affairs of the country.

That paved the way for new elections in Guyana to be held in three months. Granger’s government used Persaud’s double nationality as an issue to dispute the legality of the no-confidence vote.

The conniving and callous PNC party dragged on the postponement of elections until March 2, 2020. While being in a caretaker mode, the unscrupulous PNC Government went on a shopping, spending and sporting spree. More shocking findings to be revealed from the Auditor General’s 2015-2020 report?

In “the recovery of our democratic rights,” President Irfaan Ali said: “It was an historic moment in our nation’s life. We, the people, decided that the history of rigged and stolen elections, which we suffered in the past, would not be tolerated then or at any time in the future. We established, with resolve, that Guyana and the Guyanese people are committed to democracy and democratic principles, including respect for the decision of the majority.” Who rode on the back of “integrity?”

He had set up a Commission of Inquiry (CoI). After his government’s first-year anniversary in office, he reconfirmed his administration’s aim to establish a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to examine what had transpired in the 2020 General and Regional Elections at a virtual press briefing, “So that never again can we experience such a barefaced attempt at facilitating and attempts to steal an election.” How “honest” can the PNC be?

The CoI which began on November 3, 2022 and ended on February 10, 2023, saw over 20 witnesses presenting evidence. It was chaired by John Carl A. Singh, former acting Chancellor of the Guyana Judiciary, and Justice of Appeal Godfrey Smith.

The report cited three former senior officers of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) sought to “derail and corrupt” the process of certifying the votes. According to the CoI report, former Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, Deputy Chief Election Officer (DCEO) Roxanne Myers, and Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo made “shockingly brazen attempts…to steal the election” in favour of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government. They, along with others are facing fraud charges and awaiting trial in the court. When will be the “Day of Judgement?”

According to the commissioners, the former senior GECOM officials “abandoned all need for neutrality and impartiality and demonstrated a bias for a competing political party and, in the course of events over those days, demonstrated an open connection with that party and sought a desired result for that party.” Do facts and figures lie?

In May 2021, former Municipal Councillor for Region Ten (10), Lennox Gaspar, resigned with immediate effect from the PNC.

His resignation stated, “It was indeed an unbearably frightening experience that after 23 years in opposition, the PNCR under the coalition banner was barefacedly seeking to rig the elections in full view of Guyanese and the rest of the world.” Many more made a similar decision. When will the others see the “daylight?”

Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall.