We should welcome "Big Brothers" in our time of need

We should welcome “Big Brothers” in our time of need

Sep 24, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

A recent statement from the ABE countries should be seen by the Guyanese public as a breath of fresh air to our fledgling democracy. The degree of disrespect meted out to our constitution before and after the NCM on Dec 21st 2018 by President Granger, nullifies his pledge to uphold and protect the Constitution at his 2015 swearing in.
With nothing legally in place in the hands of the populace or opposition to control the caprice of the president’s assault on the Constitution, we should welcome the proverbial “big brothers” (the ABE Countries) making a statement, calling on the president to “set an election date immediately in full compliance with Guyana’s Constitution”, after he was informed by Gecom’s chairwoman that Gecom would be ready for elections by February 2020.
The statement from the triumvirate further added, “However, we deeply regret that, by surpassing September 18, the Government is in breach of the Constitution following its failure to adhere to the decisions of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on June 18th (last) and its subsequent orders.”
It was expected that Guyanese of all persuasions would have welcomed this statement from the ABE countries with a sigh of relief, but that was not to be. Cries of interference in our internal affairs swiftly emanated from commentators on a mission to propagate the Coalition Government.
This is nothing new. A minister of a PPP Government had done this to the face of an American Ambassador before, for merely mentioning that Local Government Elections were due – a transgression of far less magnitude than what has been committed by the Coalition. It reaffirms the notion that “absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
Unless we as a people seek redress to control the checks and balances of this absolute power given to our presidents by our constitution, we would always need the help of “big brothers” to nip dictatorial rule in the bud in the future.
The truth be told, had it not been for the influence of the ABE countries, particularly America, the third world would have been a much more hostile place for survival and enfranchisement of the poor. Brutal dictators would have ruled the roost.
The hierarchy of the PPP knows that the PNC would have never been out of power without the help of “big brother” in the past, but would not care to admit that. Had it not been for the US, there would have never been free and fair elections in Guyana in 1992.
The ABE countries are cognizant of the fact that third world politicians, left to their own devices, will do anything to suppress the will of their people to stay in power. In this regard, the statement from “big brothers” expressing that, “the prevailing political uncertainty undermines Guyanese institutions, compromises economic opportunities and delays development across all areas including infrastructure, education, health and social services”, is full of merit.
Those who see the ABE countries as intervening in our internal affairs have axes to grind.
Yours sincerely
Rudolph Singh

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