Harmon refutes allegations of fraud

Mar 02, 2019 News

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon has rejected claims by Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, that the government, including President David Granger, committed fraud.
On Thursday, Jagdeo said that President Granger’s issuance of two letters to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on the same day when he only made one public is tantamount to fraud.
The letters sent by President Granger were addressed to the Chairman, Retired Justice James Patterson, on February 25.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

The following day, the Ministry of the Presidency announced that President Granger had written to GECOM in response to a letter GECOM had sent, informing of the constraints being faced by the Commission, causing it to not be ready for elections. The Ministry released a copy of the letter sent by the President.
The letter read, “I have noted that GECOM, as a constitutional agency, would require a new appropriation of funds approved by the National Assembly for the conduct of General and Regional Elections.
“I now write you in that context for us to initiate consultations on the readiness of GECOM for the conduct of General and Regional Elections.”
It turns out that that was not the only letter sent by Granger.
Another was sent to the GECOM Chairman, and this is the one that PPP members on GECOM have in their possession.
That letter reads, “The Government is committed to doing everything possible to ensure that the Commission is provided with the financial resources and has sufficient time to conduct credible elections.
“I urge the Commission, therefore, to commence preparations for the conduct of GRE (General and Regional Elections). The Government will initiate measures to provide the funds required and to seek the approval of the National Assembly to ensure that an agreement can be reached, given both the Constitutional requirements and GECOM’s capability.”
Harmon thinks that Jagdeo has descended to a new level of disrespect for the Office of the President and the Government.
Harmon said that the President received Justice Patterson’s letter on Monday, hours before he departed for medical treatment in Cuba.
He responded promptly in his first letter, which states in its opening paragraph, “Dear Chairman, I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2019.02.21. I have noted your statement to the effect that the Commission does not have the capability to deliver credible General and Regional Elections (GRE) within the three-month time frame commencing 2018.12.21 and that additional funds, appropriated by the National Assembly, need to be provided.”
Harmon said that in that same letter, the President also assured the Commission that the Government is committed to doing whatever is needed to ensure that it is provided with the financial resources and has enough time to conduct credible elections.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo

In the second letter, the President begins by stating, “Dear Chairman, I wrote you earlier acknowledging receipt of your letter dated 2019.02.21 and the documents enclosed. I have noted the requirements stated by the Guyana Elections Commission herein, for the preparation and delivery of General and Regional Elections in 2019.”
It continues: “I have noted also, that GECOM, as a Constitutional agency would require a new appropriation of funds approved by the National Assembly for the conduct of General and Regional Elections.
“I now write you in that context for us to initiate consultations on the readiness of GECOM for the conduct of General and Regional Elections in 2019.”
Harmon said that the second letter refers to the need to consult because the Chairman of GECOM raised issues of time and the lack of financial resources. It was aimed at finding out the amount of money needed to conduct credible elections.
The Minister of State stressed, “So there are two letters. The first letter is an acknowledgement of the Chairman of GECOM’s letter. The second letter refers to the first letter. So how could you now say that this is something that is doctored when you, the author of the letter, acknowledges that you sent one and this is the second one I am sending.”
Harmon said that never before has President David Granger ever faced allegations of fraud.
He said, “If you were to check on the definition of fraud, there are several definitions… but the ordinary usage of the word fraud means that it is an act of deceiving or misrepresenting.
“Now this is what the Leader of the Opposition is seeking to say, that the President did after two letters were released that were addressed to the Chairman of GECOM, not to Mr. Jagdeo. We have not heard the Chairman say that he felt deceived or that there was any misrepresentation in what the President said.”

President David Granger

Minister Harmon said that at no time has the President or any member of his Government stooped to the level of disrespect that is demonstrated by the Leader of the Opposition and his actions and utterances must therefore be condemned.
“The Leader of the Opposition should avail himself to sound advice and respond in a manner that is befitting the office and not to go about running people down, berating them, berating the high office of the President.
“The President has never descended to that level to describe Mr. Jagdeo or anybody in that way that he is now seeking to describe the President with disrespect.”
He continued, “This is something that not only the Government will take very seriously but all Christians, all people of religion across the world must recognise that this is an attack on the religion of the President, an attack on order and good governance and he must be condemned in the strongest possible terms for this level to which he has sunk in this press conference.
“I am also calling on all right-thinking Guyanese to condemn the Leader of the Opposition for this level to which he has sunk and for which he is trying to take the society, into the pit to which he has descended.
With the Leader of the Opposition stating that he will be engaging the international community and other organisations on the matter, Minister Harmon said that the Government can stand up to scrutiny and the letters are a matter of simple chronology.
“I believe that if he avails himself of good advice that he will understand his role in a better way and act in a more mature manner. I cannot be responsible for Mr. Jagdeo’s comprehension of simple chronology and simple English language.
“If he takes the time enough to read, he would be able to understand. So, taking it to the international community, taking it wherever you want to take it, you would only be embarrassing yourself because people would be able to read and understand exactly what the President is saying,” he expressed.
Further, the Minister said that he has noted that the Leader of the Opposition has not chosen to respond to the President’s invitation as protocol dictates.