US tightening noose around riggers

Jul 16, 2020 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

The US is tightening the noose around the neck of those involved in electoral rigging. A list of names was sanctioned. It is welcomed by Guyanese. And for the first time in Guyana’s history, the US government (first for any foreign administration) has asked a government of Guyana to step aside after an election signaling that the US accepted that the coalition lost the election. It is the strongest indictment against the regime, a statement praised by Guyanese. But the Granger administration remains defiant as of Wednesday refusing to accept an electoral verdict that every foreign observer mission, diplomat, and democratic institution in Guyana says the incumbent was defeated. Now sanctions have kicked in to coerce acceptance of the democratic outcome.
This was not dissimilar to 1992 when the US coerced the PNC regime to accepting the outcome of a democratic election. Hoyte and Hamilton Green, among others, involved in rigging, were defiant. Some said then that they would not listen to any White man and that US can’t tell them to accept the outcome of a democratic election because Guyana is a sovereign nation. They better rethink. Have they forgotten what happened to Manuel Noriega of Panama who said the same? He was picked up by US troops and flown to US for a trial where he was convicted and served over twenty years. Then he was sent to France for another trial and conviction and further imprisonment. When his term finished there, he was brought back to the US for another life term. Such hospitality would be given to riggers including Ministers, financiers, bureaucrats, and judges and their family members. Also, those who have their children studying in the US could see visas cancelled and deported. Judges won’t be spared if they repeated idiotic rulings. The Chief Justice and CoA can’t rule differently from the CCJ that already pronounced that recount must be used to declare the election. And GECOM already took a position.
The US is a guarantor of democracy in Guyana. The Guyana regime needs to be reminded that US enduring geo security depends on respect for democracy in its backyard. The US can’t close its eyes to electoral fraud in this era. The US, like almost every democratic government around the globe, has called on the government of Guyana to honour the result of the March 2 elections as obtained in a recount of ballots that showed the regime lost to the PPP/C by 15,400 votes.
Those of us who studied comparative politics would know the ongoing mantra of US foreign policy on elections. The US is embracing democratic values and pushing back against authoritarian rulers. The US rejects electoral fraud unlike say during the period of the PNC dictatorship when the US allowed fraud in order to keep out the communists who would have won democratic free and fair elections.
US is very concerned about maintenance of democratic values in Guyana and other countries and has repeatedly threatened sanctions on those involved in electoral fraud. The US recognizes that democracy and pluralism are under assault in Guyana through attempts of rigging. Violation of basic rights is not permitted. Such violations can’t be tolerated by democratic and freedom loving countries. The riggers can’t be allowed to undermine democracy and rule of law. That is why Guyanese Americans have been calling on US sanctions. No one should be spared – including those living in America urging people to take to the streets and threatening violence against supporters of democracy.
The US also recognizes that the behaviour of some members of the coalition is undermining US authority in the region. The US can’t allow the regime to defy it and get away without sanctions. Telling Granger to step aside is the strongest statement yet from the Secretary of State on Guyana electoral fraud. The regime is now targeted with a wide net for sanctions. Even lawyers who are prostituting themselves with frivolous cases before the court would face sanctions. The lawyers ought to know better and stop fooling clients that they have a legal case when there is no hope. No judge would rule against the CCJ, the final arbiter of the law.
If orders of GECOM were not heeded (by Lowenfield or Myers) to prepare a report for declaration, more sanctions would be coming. Next time, it would be of a tougher nature such as seizure of assets and would include more family members not excluding those studying as foreign students in America. The honourable thing for Lowenfield and Myers is to make the right declaration and for the coalition is to accept defeat, congratulate Irfaan, and try to build a credible opposition to win the next election.

Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram

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