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The credit for violence free elections must go where it rightfully belongs

Aug 13, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor
I could not conceal my astonishment when I read the Wednesday August 10, 2011 edition of your news papers the article “USAID gives Electoral Assistance Bureau $44M grant”.  According to the said news item, Carol Horning, mission Director of USAID said the following in paragraph three. “Over the years USAID has consistently and significantly supported activities that promote the achievement of free, fair and violent free elections “. Here I am at a loss trying to remember or understand the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB) activities that promoted violence free elections in Guyana.
The EAB goes into hibernation after every election and re-emerges for its usual role as election observers when they feel it is necessary. I checked all the websites for EAB participation in promoting violence free elections in Guyana and found not a single item. I encourage anyone to check for themselves. All the websites say that the EAB has been involved in observing elections and promoting electoral democratic process. Maybe I can be corrected by Carol Horning. In the year 2006 Guyana had violence free elections. This was due to the work done by the Ethnic Relations Commission/ UNDP Social Cohesion Programs of Guyana, the Multi Stakeholder Programs and the Inter Religious Organisation of Guyana with funding from the UNDP.
The Ethnic Relations Commission held Social Cohesion conferences in the sixty five NDCs, the seven Municipalities, ten Regional Conferences and one national Conference. A special Conference was staged for Members of Parliament. In those Conferences members of different ethnicities had the opportunity to address the issues affecting them in a frank and candid manner. Guyanese were given the opportunity to sit together and talk about their differences and try to understand each other. This contributed to 2006 violent free elections. The Inter Religious Organisation of Guyana (IRO) distributed peace buttons, got persons to sign a peace pledge and promoted a peace pact that most Political Parties signed. The IRO organized peace marches in Georgetown that saw participation from President Jagdeo and members of the Diplomatic Corps. his promoted peaceful violent elections in Guyana.
I for one am happy that USAID has seen it fit to give the EAB $44M. They have done well as observers at every election since 1992. However the credit for violence free elections must go where it rightfully belongs. The Guyanese people, the Ethnic Relations Commission and the Inter Religious Organisation of Guyana.
Pandit Chrishna Persaud JP, FILS

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