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Freddie Kissoon replies to GECOM

Dec 25, 2011 Letters

 

 

Dear Editor,
I refer to a letter by GECOM in KN ((Dec 23), captioned, “GECOM seeks to educate Freddie Kissoon.”  A careful reading of that correspondence would reveal the troubled nature of GECOM and for that reason GECOM as it now stands, should be completely and fundamentally overhauled. That letter is riddled with barefaced denials and deliberate attempts to mislead
It is in the interest of the opposition, particularly the AFC, to respond to the blatant deceptions in GECOM’s attempt to educate me.
David Patterson, former Parliamentarian for the AFC has indicated to me that his reply is on its way and in his comment he will accuse GECOM of not telling the truth. Let’s look at the most egregious piece of deceit in that missive. Based on this I am calling on APNU and AFC to demand that Surujbally and Gocool Boodhoo resign immediately.
Here now is graphic proof that Surujbally and Boodhoo should not undertake any future endeavour in the name of GECOM. I quote from the letter; “GECOM was never in possession of any money at any time to share out to any political party. To say that GECOM shared out a hundred million dollars of scrutineer money to the PNC (and $150M to the PPP/C) and decided against the AFC is an outright lie…” How stupid of the GECOM high priest to publish such a foolish statement
Every school boy in Guyana knows that GECOM has no money. All its funds come from the Treasury as requested by GECOM. It was GECOM that agreed to pay scrutineer money for national registration.
The Ministry of Finance dished out the money and the PPP and PNC collected their funds on GECOM’s vouchers. Is this the best argument Surajballi can muster? Here is the stupid logic of GECOM. “We don’t pay out money, we don’t buy anything, we don’t pay anyone. All of this is done by the Ministry of Finance not GECOM.”
How foolish. So UG, the Police Force, the army etc do not have money to pay anyone. It comes from the Ministry of Finance. With such logic, no wonder the 2011 election was administered so terribly. I want to go on record as saying there were serious manipulations at the polls in Skeldon in 2006 .
I adhere most tempestuously on another point of mine. The seat disputed by the AFC in 2001from Region 10. GECOM’s position was that it could not have pronounced on the assignment of the seats after the declaration of the results and advised that the Parliament or courts have to decide on the issue
Surujbally forgot a couple of things in his attempt to educate me. In his interview with KN, GECOM’s Chairman said he will continue to rely on advice from the commercial leaders. Which one of his friends in the commercial circles knows about management of elections? So why the commercial leaders and not the Faculty of Social Sciences whose Dean has three (yes three) degrees in management? How come Surujbally consulted Ramesh Dookoo and Jerry Gouveia and not UG academics who are trained social scientists and would know more about management of large scale ventures
There is another omission in GECOM’s letter on me. Can Surajballi explain why GECOM provided letters of employment to PPP polling agents and not APNU’s and AFC’s? I don’t want to be educated by GECOM because it has to educate its high priests first.
The SOPs to which the political parties are entitled to were only given to them after the Private Sector Commission tsars so advised Surujbally and Boodhoo. Yet this body wants to educate me. The high priests at GECOM remind me of the former President, Bharrat Jagdeo.
After twelve years in power, he never uttered a piece of an apology much less an entire one. The same for GECOM’s kings. No matter what mistake they make, an apology would never come out of their mouths
In closing, I think Surujbally and Boodhoo know that time has passed on. The Carter –structured GECOM of 1992 has outlived its usefulness. Surujbally and Boodhoo should allow time to move on and let Guyana move with the times. By the way, I hope readers know that Surujbally’s salary at GECOM is one of the highest for a public servant in Guyana
Frederick Kissoon     

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