A decision that will takes this country backwards for decades

Oct 22, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
The unilateral selection and appointment by President Granger of Justice Patterson to be the new Chairman of the Elections Commission takes the country backward for decades. This appointment is the continuation of the Burnham legacy. We all remember the appointment of Sir Harold Bollers, a retired Justice of our courts. He was more of a puppet to the directives of Burnham than an independent chairman. Is this the beginning of yet another episode of rigged elections?
This government fired Justice Prem Persaud (70 years old) with the lame excuse that he was too old to hold the chairmanship of a constitutional commission. They had to show that they were applying the same principle across the spectrum by also removing Hamilton Green as head of the Central Housing Authority. They were so cunning about the Green affair, that they ensured that he is now getting a pension of 7/8th of that of the sitting Prime Minister.
So deceptive is this government, that the only thing that seems to matter is the ethnicity of the person. This trumps all other consideration. Now we have an 84 year old heading another constitutional commission, and the age is now no barrier to this appointment. So hypocritical!
President Granger is saying one thing and doing exactly the opposite. His own requirement for a person to be appointed to the chairmanship of the Elections Commission is for that person to have knowledge of the electoral laws. Is Justice Patterson knowledgeable of the electoral laws? Did he participate in any matter before the courts that has to do with our elections? If so, how long ago was that? He is 84, so he must have retired a few decades ago. At 84 years old, I can hardly understand how much he can juggle his time with seeking knowledge of the electoral laws in our books, heading a very divisive commission, and his sleep time.
It is shameful and downright repugnant what the AFC had to say in this matter. You have sold your very soul for a “soup of porridge”. How much low can you get? You have finally nailed the AFC officially dead. I still remember candidate Granger telling an audience in New York, “I am no Burnham.” Well sir, you lied again. You are not only Burnham, but you have his soul embedded in yours. Are you now taking the country down the path of rigged elections? Mr. President, please rescind this appointment and follow the Carter-Price formula for our democracy to prevail.
Charles Sugrim

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