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The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the events of the 2020 General and Regional Elections has concluded public hearings. The report is expected in the “shortest time,” according to news reports attributed to the Chairman of the Commission, Ret’d Justice of Appeal, Stanley John.
Village Voice caught up with Shadow Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Roysdale Forde SC, for his opinion of this process. The Member of Parliament said his position remains the same, i.e., the divisive manner in establishing the inquiry, along with the timing and context of the inquiry cast serious doubt the president’s intent was honourable.
President Ali had the opportunity to use a broad- based approach to set up the CoI, said Forde.
“That approach would have prevented the wide-spread perception that PPP/C party affiliates could have a free hand to covertly indulge in actions inimical to other opposition and minority parties, on the effectiveness of the work of the Commission; heightened confidence and create trust in the process; and allow the President to treat the establishment of the Commission as a part of a continuum that could have ultimately improve collaboration between the government and other political parties and stakeholders to design systems to better the lives of all Guyanese.”
In an OpEd in this publication on October 9, Forde said the announcement of the CoI came at a time when the country was dealing with the revelations in US-based VICE News report, last June, that government officials and the Chinese businesses were involved in corruption and money laundering in reward for lucrative contracts.
Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo was fingered as the points man by Mr. Su Zhirong, Chinese businessman, friend and reportedly former tenant of the VP.
In a recording the VP could be heard saying “No, no, no I’m not getting involved in business. Su is my friend. He gets all the support. Su deals with all the agreements. I don’t. The thing is that my thing is that I’m in government, so I assist from government side.” Jagdeo has since denied the allegations levelled against him and filed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against Su.
Forde sees the COI as a “ruse to divert public attention away from the damning allegations against the Vice President.”
He said added to the concern, whilst a thorough analysis of the COI would await the findings, is the secrecy about the sum expended from this Treasury to a foist partisan process on the country, and which from all appearances did not set out to seek the truth and sought to undermine the course of justice through the judiciary.
He pointed out that although Guyana is an oil rich country there is no excuse to spend the Guyanese people money in a careless manner. The senior counsel said Guyanese are still in the dark about the amount of their money paid for this Commission of Inquiry. He said President Ali must make the information public, including how much each commissioner was paid, and if the state paid for their accommodations how much such cost, and every other financial detail, down to the last dollar.
“There has been no official word from the government about the final cost of the tribunal. The truth is this expensive and elaborate Commission of Inquiry was appointed in the face of the fact that, there are adequate and effective remedies available under ordinary laws, in this country, to deal with elections and other related issues.”
The MP asserted that many who were summoned to testify before the commission are before the courts on charges relating to the March 2020 General and Regional Elections. The Court, he said, has always honoured its obligation in dispensing justice, in all and every matter brought before it, and it is funded by the public purse.
The people of Guyana, the region and afar must see President Ali’s COI as not intended to unearth truth but to further his partisan political interest consistent with its ‘one Guyana’ platform to sow seeds of divisions in the society and undermine established institutions of state.
Further, he contended, in 2022, $4.7Billion was allocated to strengthen the justice sector and over $6.1 Billion was approved in 2023 to enhance and reform the justice system. “Still the President found it necessary to put the public treasury under additional strain to appoint a tribunal to address a matter that is already before the Courts”
