Is Moral Value/Decency an attribute of good governance in Guyana?

Nov 20, 2017 Letters

Dear Sir,
“What was wrong under the PPP can’t be right under the APNU and AFC,” says Dr. David Hinds. Fast forward to the initial submission of the first list by opposition leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, of which six names were submitted to the President, for one to be selected for the vacant post of Chairman, GECOM, in conformity to Constitution of Guyana.
For a brief moment, let us omit constitutionality; Jagdeo’s “pussyfooting”, Granger’s “delaying tactics” and the old adage of “Afro and Indo racial insecurity. But rather what is politically correct for the nation of Guyana, that, after a period of virtually ten months.
The submission of two additional lists, for a total of one hundred and three days overall, in the ultimate rejection of eighteen individuals being deemed as: “not fit and proper”. Editor, this definitely is an extremely “bitter and overlarge pill to swallow in one motion”.
It was the Opposition Leader, who first made a “mockery of things” with the submission of names closely aligned with his party, along with an individual of a “dubious character”.
The second list despite being marginally better, yet still had an “extremely high Indo-Guyanese influence” with an Attorney-at-law and two retired judges in the mix. But the third, which was probably the best, was more ethnically and professionally balanced.
From the eighteen names submitted, isn’t Attorneys-at-law, Christopher Ram and Teni Housty; Governance and Conflict Resolution Specialist, Lawrence Lachmansingh; Major General (retd), Joe Singh; a one time Gecom Chairman, and Annette Arjoon-Martins; Biodiversity Activist and Pilot, all credible Guyanese , with impeccable characters not “fit and proper” for the GECOM Chairman? Or, is it a case of “one ah we own, kith and kin” must get the job?
I didn’t consider the Adventist Pastor and Agriculturist, Onesi La Fleur (no pun intended) due to his religious alignment, in upholding the constitutional requirement. But what of retired judge, James Patterson, isn’t he a Pastor, also in addition to being the oldest of the lot at 84?
Apart from being a “constitutional violation also, surely “two wrongs don’t make a right”. By the way, at what stage of his appointment, did the judge (rtd) resign as an Advisor to the Attorney General? Did he have any input in the rejection of names submitted from the three (3) lists? If, so then a “conflict of interest” arises.
By the way, why did President Granger, fail to honour his initial agreement with the opposition leader, for a bipartisan committee to quickly settle on a chairman, if the third list was also rejected”. But it comes as no surprise, since neither the AFC nor the WPA was consulted. It’s at this juncture moral values and decency, an attribute of good governance in Guyana, enters the fray.
As for the new GECOM Chairman, an octogenarian, geriatric and the newest kid on the block, in the old boys’ network, as a pastor, from a distance, God is watching you, since you have become greater in the sight of man, but smaller in the sight of God. What a pity. Likewise a selected few from the Rastafarian Council, kindly produce the minutes of the meeting to support a Babylonian concept. Was a quorum present, was a two-thirds majority obtained?
For the records, it was the very PNC, under the late Desmond Hoyte that had enforced a three year jail term, for a “ganja seed” almost three decades ago; with a change in government, after 23 years of the PPP/C rule, with the PNC as the leading party in the colation. After 2 years, nothing has changed in repealing the “draconian law”.
Likewise, the late Desmond Hoyte, 31 years ago, unleashed, policemen with guns and dogs, in a demolition act against squatters in Sophia. Thirty-one years later, the same PNC, under the guise of APNU unleashed law enforcement ranks and demolition crews.
Surely, Marcus “Mosiah” Garvey words have come to past: “some may rise, some may fall but black people would never know themselves until their backs are against, the wall!” Blindly, being led ‘a good life for all’ yet are still at the bottom of the social economical ladder, as fetchers of water and hewers of wood”.
Yours truly,
Samora N’ Komo

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