Dr. Surujbally acts as if he is constitutionally irremovable

Dec 12, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I refer to the interview KN had with the GECOM Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally and his response (Dec 9). I have always regarded Dr. Surujbally as one of this country’s most arrogant persons. That interview is replete with evidence to that effect.  The problem with GECOM is not only Surujbally, but GECOM itself. The reality is that GECOM has been treated by the Executive as a state institution. Constitutionally, it is not. But being treated as such, GECOM’s high command came to see themselves as state employees, patronized by the Executive.
Dr. Surujbally is oblivious to his egregious mistakes and perceived bias and his arrogance prevents him for publicly apologizing. The litany of GECOM woes is so graphic that there is no reason why the APNU and AFC should not seek a reorganization of GECOM with a new high command. It was under Surujbally’s watch that GECOM acknowledged a seat mistake in the 2006 election that led to the AFC being denied a sixth Parliamentarian. GECOM conceded the error but sought refuge in the position that only the courts or Parliament can rectify the situation. The case came up five years after it was filed. The AFC won but we were into a new election.
Then GECOM shared out a hundred million dollars of scrutineer money to the PNC (and $150M to the PPP) and decided against a percentage to the AFC. Again GECOM said it was for the courts to decide if the AFC should get. The court ruled in the AFC’s favour but by then the PNC had used up all the money. Dr. Surujbally used a casting vote to retain a Returning Officer who had committed an illegal act and who the opposition lost faith in and wanted his resignation. Surujbally behaves as if the opposition parties in Guyana are not a major election stakeholder.
In a controversial election in 2011, Surujbally conceded a recount to the PPP before the results were announced. He then agreed to a second recount request and there were no official declaration of the results. But this very gentleman refused to give to APNU what it was entitled to – the SOPs. When the APNU presidential candidate addressed the nation under the aegis of GECOM to call upon supporters to be calm, Mr. Granger alluded to the “unwarranted delay” in announcing the results. As the GECOM Chairman returned to the podium, he unprofessionally and undiplomatically made a cynical snide at Mr. Granger to the effect; “I don’t know about any unwarranted delay.”
It was President Jagdeo who first attacked GECOM, accusing it of not announcing the results in a timely manner. Surujbally chose to reply directly to Granger not Jagdeo. And the reason for this is what I referred to above. In Surujbally’s psychological eyes, Jagdeo was speaking as the Head-of-State and GECOM is a part of the State. It was protocol not to respond directly to Jagdeo. But it was fine to do so against Granger. After all, who is Granger and who is APNU?
For all his pretence at being frank, in that interview, Surujbally didn’t tell us who he was having a drink with when APNU supporters gathered outside his home. Of course, he can say it was none of the media’s business. Demerarawaves.com reported that his guest was Jerry Gouveia. How inappropriate – Gouveia was (is) in the thick of the election controversy. But here is where Surujbally’s deportment becomes questionable. Why has GECOM so facilitated the Private Sector Commission (PSC)? This is a question that forms the content of a Stabroek News Editorial and was repeated in another Editorial of the same paper yesterday.
This writer in his columns twice this year has referred to the PSC’s Chairman, Ramesh Dookoo as a PPP supporter. Here is an unashamed embracer of the PPP Government. I also sit with him in the Council of the University of Guyana, so I know his politics which he doesn’t hide. So APNU cannot get its request for the SOPs granted by Surujbally but then the PSC intervenes and APNU gets it at last.
Steve Surujbally is a funny man. In that interview he said; “Nobody will tell me what to do.” This is the nature of the man. He thinks he has no enduring obligation to the opposition parties. It is my belief that he is making reference here to the opposition parties. It is my belief that Jagdeo and the PPP can tell him what to do and for this reason the majority in the House should seek a constitutional removal of Surujbally and Gocool Boodhoo.
A majority of the voters in this county has no confidence in these two gentlemen. What is so special about the people in commerce that Surujbally can say in the interview; “I will solicit the advice of the commercial leaders.” What do they know about elections? In fact, these commercial leaders are highly unpatriotic people. But they are Surujbally’s friends. Surujbally told the KN interviewer that he loves Guyana. Well I do too and for that reason I hope not to see Surujbally preside over another General or Municipal Election in my country.
Frederick Kissoon

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