Guyana is buzzing with excitement

Aug 03, 2020 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

Finally, Guyana has a reason to rejoice soberly in all sincerity after 153 days of antagonizing and frustrating waiting days. The entire Guyana is buzzing with uncontrollable excitement as Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has been finally officially declared as the legal and legitimate elected 9th Executive President for the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and to rule for the next five years and the PPP/C Party is to be invited to form the new government. GECOM has sent an official memoir to the Chancellor, attesting to this affirmation. At the time of writing, Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings Edwards (ag) was swearing in the new President. Also swearing in was the new Prime Minister, Brigadier(Rtd.) Mark Phillips. The new vice president of Guyana is Past President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo. Not surprising, Mr. Anil Nandlall was sworn in as the new Attorney General. It was a very historical event. This was made possible only after GECOM’s CEO, Mr. Lowenfield, finally presented a report in concurrence with the direction of the Madam Chair, the honourable Retired Justice Ms. Claudette Singh. His report formed the basis as per the CARICOM creditable recount result, confirming that the allocation of seats will be PPP/C Party 33, the APNU+AFC Party 31 and the Combined Parties 1. All this occurred after some testing and teasing moments earlier in the morning as the APNU+AFC Party Commissioners went through their usual shenanigans. But, that has become a norm and perhaps without that type of performance, APNU+AFC Party would not have been living up to its true nature. They departed the meeting prior to the declaration.
Sunday is considered, acknowledged, accepted, recognized and observed as basically, the Sabbath day, a day for prayers, a day to visit a place of worship as per one’s faith, belief or religion, a day for weddings, a day for religious function, a day to socialize, a day to read, a day to relax, a day to read, a day to rest and for some, it’s just another working day. But in the wisdom of the learned Madam Chair, she waited from Thursday’s decision from the COA to summon a meeting for Sunday, perhaps a strategy in the framework of foresight within the confines of anticipated positivity or administrative authority or closed door transactions or undisclosed negotiation or voluntary discussions.
Did the weather play a hand in the decision making, literally or ironically? Was the significance of both holidays on Friday and Saturday intriguing and influential in any persuasive manner? Did someone’s conscience “pricked them” as ole people would say? Was there a mood that entertained a change of heart? Did the APNU+AFC Party finally succumbed to the national and international pressure? Did an unannounced “foreign interference” siped through a bird vine? Did reality finally kicked in? Did an undisclosed intervention surfaced to play a deciding role? Did an unknown reason emerged? Finally, was there a unanimous decision among the APNU+AFC Party to agree to this concession?
It wasn’t a day or time to publicly celebrate yesterday nor is it today. But congratulations is in order to be conveyed to the Madam Chair for bringing a successful conclusion to this election process and to the other respective members of the Commission also. Notwithstanding, again, due congratulations is conveyed also to the new President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, the new Prime Minister Mr. Mark Phillips and the PPP/C Party. Perhaps, it was not the most finest hour for Guyana as the swear in ceremony occurred, the 9th President for Guyana and the second from the West Coast of Demerara and the first from the village of Leonora. Because of the sensitive political situation in the country, perhaps the urgency to initiate an immediate swear in ceremony had to be performed under not abnormal but realistic circumstances. The forty year old, a Muslim by faith, is a grand-son of the late Sakina Mohamed of Leonora, one of the longest and strongest members from the women’s arm of the PPP/C Party. It was a proud day for Leonora to see a son of the village being sworn in to hold the highest office of the land. At the swearing in ceremony of the new President, recognition and cognizance for the contributions from all sources, large or small, especially from the electorate, specifically the national and international community was acknowledged and his heartfelt thanks and appreciation was conveyed. The way is finally paved and cleared to see transparency and accountability becoming effect immediately with a transition team, led by the new vice-president. Last night, Guyana slept peacefully for the first time in five months and the inauguration ceremony is expected today. Congratulations from around the world are already pouring in. Good luck and best wishes to the PPP/C Party and, the entire Guyana is a winner without a loser as the reality of a marriage of differentiation and integration hits the ground running without a honeymoon.

Respectfully,
Jai Lall

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