GECOM is a sad embarrassment to the nation

Apr 01, 2020 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

It would seem that the agency charged with holding free and fair elections is instead aiding, abetting, and facilitating the 2020 election rigging. Granger and the PNC say they want “credible” elections, but the farcical result for Region 4 is incredible, not matching the original statements of poll provided by GECOM to all party representatives and posted at the polling stations after the close of poll. On election night, everyone knew who won the elections based on these GECOM statements. Reportedly, the PPP won 53% of the votes.
Far from GECOM being an independent, honest broker in elections, GECOM, as is, with an imbalance in diversity of staff and dominated by PNC supporters, is designed to help the party in power to remain in power. Instead of making sure everything was fair, transparent, and honest, everything they have done is to rig in favour of the PNC. GECOM and the PNC are Siamese twins, joined at the hip. As part of his grand design, it was important to Granger that his man was in control of GECOM. So while other judges were let go for being too old, Granger unilaterally appointed his old buddy Mr. Patterson, in violation of the Constitution.
Mr. Jagdeo humbly kept going to him with new lists, and Granger rejected Mr. Jagdeo’s three lists. Having his own puppet in the Chair’s position was important to Granger whose idol is founder rigger, Mr. Burnham. Remember, Granger said he was the “man with the plan,” including the “Nassau” plan. After the CCJ ruled that Granger’s action in appointing Patterson as GECOM Chair was unconstitutional, Granger’s war of attrition led to the appointment of Justice Singh, dubbed the “iron lady” but who turned out so far to be the biggest disgrace to that office.
Ms. Singh has been weak, missing in action, shows weak management, communication and poor leadership skills since being appointed, resulting in the current fiasco. For this election, everything was a series of intentional fumbling, bumbling, bungling actions by GECOM to facilitate trickery. Chair Singh seems to be a figurehead with no clout or authority, and seems to be a puppet on a string by her top officers. How can someone with such a distinguished career become such a disappointment, and under her watch GECOM is unable to follow the process to provide credible results, tearing the nation apart, as patience and hope wears thin.
The Chair has enormous powers and can still put the counting process back on track. The Chair is the boss of Lowenfield, Myers, Mingo and other GECOM staff. Once the CJ ruled against Mingo’s illegal actions, the Chair should have removed Mingo immediately and censured the Chief Officer for not supervising properly. The Chair has some veto powers over their staff and can step in when the process is failing. Going into hiding, not being in their offices, pretending to be sick or tired, hiding from court marshals serving warrants, and being incommunicado were all intentional and designed to frustrate the opposition parties and observers. How can the Chair not know the whereabouts of staff? How can they not know where is Mingo? Is Mingo a law unto himself? How is it that lower officers can harass the Opposition Commissioners, and the Chair cannot fix that problem? Why is it that they can prevent the PPP Commissioners from entering GECOM facilities and from checking up on the containers holding ballot boxes? And the Chair does nothing! How is it that ballot box containers can be moved around and the rules are not followed? And the Chair does nothing?
Everyone thought that with votes being counted at the place of poll, it means that elections cannot be rigged anymore, as Burnham used to do. But, we were in for a rude awakening, as GECOM and the PNC have showed they can rig the Statement of Polls right in front of your face, and you can’t do anything about it. At least Burnham used to take the boxes away and switch the votes, but Mingo shows they can rig it right in front of you. It’s the Burnham magic! PPP votes become PNC’s votes, right in front of your face! If this rigging is allowed to stand, this is the end of free and fair elections and the death of democracy in Guyana. Will we let the PNC and GECOM bullies get away with this?

Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall,
USA

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GECOM is a sad embarrassment to the nation

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