When all is said and done, it is clear that the APNU+ AFC is fighting a losing battle.

Jul 10, 2020 Letters

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Dear Editor,

The week of July 5 broke with news of coup d’etat in the air. Indeed, one paper’s editorial of Sunday July 5 screamed ‘Coup d’etat’

The editorial stated: ‘ In the end, however, when all avenues have been are exhausted we are looking at a coup d’etat. There is simply no alternative’. The editorial went on; ‘The problem with coups is that no matter what they are called they are brutal…’

Next came David Hinds. In his article headlined, ‘Any seizure of jurisdiction by the CCJ is tantamount to a political coup’ Hinds wrote: “Any claim of jurisdiction by the CCJ would be a political act with clear political intentions. It would be a clear attempt to install a party in power against the wishes on half of population and in defiance of constitutional check.”
“Such an act,” he asserted, “is nothing short of a political coup.”

Earlier, in May this year, Anthony Vieira in a letter published in one of the dailies stated: “Lowenfield and Mingo have in fact overthrown the winner.” Vieira went on to describe a coup; ‘Typically,’ he claimed, “it is an illegal, unconstitutional seizure of power by a political faction, the military or a dictator.” According to Vieira, “A coup is considered successful when the usurper seize and hold power for at least seven days.”

In televised broadcast to the nation in June this year, Bharrat Jagdeo told the nation: “We want to assure Guyanese that we are fighting tirelessly against the attempted coup by the APNU+AFC operatives. We are not alone in this struggle for democracy and freedom.”

Now that the CCJ has ruled that, “…this Court has jurisdiction to hear and determine the Application of Messrs. Ali and Jagdeo to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal. That decision was made without jurisdiction. It was therefore not final and is of no effect”, we are left to wonder what will become of Mr. Hinds’ theoretically contrived ‘political coup?’ We should not be surprised with a change in Mr. Hinds’ narrative.

Contrary to Hinds’ ‘seizure of jurisdiction by the CCJ’ and its ‘political coup,’ the editorial’s, Vieira’s and Jagdeo’s positions on an APNU+AFC inspired coup remains potentially valid though the CCJ has ruled that, “Now the laws of Guyana must run its course.”

Clearly, this was a warning to the APNU+ AFC to stop horsing around by continuing to mislead its supporters, as Mr. Granger recently did, when he told his supporters outside State House: “…as far as we are concerned, we have evidence that there has been massive fraud and irregularities and we will continue to fight to make sure your votes are counted.”

In stepped Mr. Joe Harmon who chimed in stating; “It is expected that GECOM will continue with the necessary process, in keeping with the Constitution, which speaks to the requirement of valid votes.”

Not to be left out, Mr. Aubrey Norton throws in his stained and tainted tuppence claiming, “GECOM must live by the law, GECOM is expected to deliver on credible votes…” The target has shifted from the CCJ to GECOM once again but the narrative and the messengers remain the same.

From these statements, we can conclude that the false narratives that preceded the CCJ rulings continue to be fed unabatedly to all those who prefer to be fed at the through filled with vile APNU+AFC propaganda, such as the false claim from David Granger that: “… there are some bad elements out there who tried to manipulate the vote…”

When all is said and done, it is clear that the APNU+ AFC is fighting a losing battle. The CCJ’s Consequential Orders have provided no wiggle room for the coalition administration. Events following passage of the NCM motion have made the chances of the APNU+AFC winning another election highly improbable in the near future.

If there is anyone who continues to harbour the view that Mr. Granger is a tactician and strategist and an experienced politician, they need to go have their heads examined. There remains one avenue, resembling the eye of a needle, that Mr. Granger like the proverbial camel must pass through. It’s called the GECOM avenue.

At the Commission, his representatives will have to contend with the CCJ’s ruling to the effect that: ‘The Court of Appeal impliedly invited the CEO to engage unilaterally in an unlawful validation exercise and should therefore be set aside”, meaning that the recount figures emanating from the report of the CARICOM Observer Team must be used for declaring the result for the March 2nd elections.

Refusing to abandon his cynical efforts to feed his supporters false hopes, Mr. Granger has since changed the narrative once more telling his followers that: “It’s all up to GECOM” and that the “CCJ did not issue any coercive Orders” as if the whole country did not know that.

Talk of a coup in whatever shape or fashion will continue if the APNU+AFC refuses to abide by the Consequential Orders issued by the CCJ. Every Guyanese shares the fervent hope of the distinguished Judges at the CCJ that “there would quickly be a peaceable restoration of normalcy” in our country.

Since Mr. Granger has refused to concede, claiming he is awaiting a declaration from GECOM, it is GECOM that has history in its hands. Any conceding by Mr. Granger following a declaration by GECOM that the PPP/C has won the election will be meaningless.

Yours truly,
Clement J. Rohee

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