Dear Editor,
Just some random remarks. Human history has shown that a dictatorship with bully-ism has been an instrument that tarnished endeavors to make a society wholesome and truly free. This month, August, Guyanese everywhere observe Emancipation made possible through the combined efforts of enslaved Africans and the likes of William Wilberforce, Thomas Fowell Buxton and John Newton. This month therefore is a good time to alert the nation to a creeping dictatorship. The hallmark of this administration is to control all agencies designed and intended to make true democracy, freedom and decency a reality.
With our unhappy history of ethnic and racial strife and division, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) was established to look into all areas that can bring harmony in our society. Unfortunately, it has not fulfilled its mission. Like others including some cultural and sporting organizations, it has fallen victim to PPP manipulation and has become a mere puppet and subordinate to the present government.
I’ve had my own experience with the ERC where their efforts constituted harassment. Here I wish to compliment the PNC/APNU and in particular Ms. Amanza Walton Nazir for refusing to be drawn into that suck-sand of PPP propaganda of signing the document prepared by the ERC. It is clear that beyond the Ethnic Relations Commission, every institution, including the Judiciary, has been targeted for management, massage and manipulation.
It is clear that the silly season of electoral rigging is in full cry. We have what appears to be an absurd allegation by his Excellency the President Dr. Dr. Ali and the General Secretary of the PPP to the effect that WIN candidate Azruddin Mohamed has been visiting the Venezuelan embassy frequently. The latter has vehemently denied this and demanded proof. It is no secret that every visit to any embassy is recorded by several means available. This is universal and standard practice everywhere. So when top officials of the Guyana government claim that Mohamed has been visiting frequently they must, and are obliged to provide credible evidence.
The above deals with a general principle and is in no way an endorsement of WIN. Let me make it crystal clear, I remain a dyed in the wool supporter of the PNC led APNU. The anxiety of the PPP is much more than we have been hearing. But, the burden of this letter is to first highlight one agency that has been captured by the PPP and second, to indicate that sophisticated rigging has started. For some time now the General Registrar’s office had been facilitating the issuance of ID cards to Cubans and Venezuelans who have entered our porous borders illegally. It may be of interest that the person in charge of the General Registrar’s office is the brother of a PPP cabinet minister.
What is now evident is that the PPP has in place a well funded sophisticated process of electoral rigging. The Ali/Jagdeo regime has succeeded in manipulating and influencing every institution that should be neutral and expected to characterize a democratic society. The list is painfully long from the Public Information Commission. There is the procurement process where contracts are awarded to friends with little skill and competence and even the Judiciary and our Security Forces appear to be compromised. And of course by coincidence the chairman of the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) consistently supports the PPP members on the commission.
If the contesting parties and groups truly believe that the present administration is inept and corrupt, it behoves them, even at this late stage, to put all the pointers in one broom to sweep them out and keep them out. To dislodge this regime requires the combination of those fed-up and critical of the PPP oligarchy to find a modus vivendi so that come September 1st, votes are not diluted in the PPP’s favour.
Yours truly,
Hamilton Green
Elder
