Mr. Granger too should have conceded the elections in nine days?

Nov 14, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – This story was reported in NYT on Nov. 11th:
“Jack Ciattarelli, a Republican vying to unseat Gov. Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey, will concede defeat on Friday (Nov 12th) acknowledging that there is no chance he can overcome the 74,000-vote gap now separating the candidates, according to two people close to his campaign.”
It took nine days.
Reading this story made me think of David Granger and Guyana’s election of March 2020. That election drama dragged on for 5-months. It felt like the country was going to hell in a hand basket. Here is the crucial question: If a presidential candidate can recognize that all the facts and data point to him losing the election, shouldn’t he do the honourable thing and concede the elections?
Some countries have inherent divisions – social, cultural, racial – which grow deeper, become more tense and implode into riots and violence. A reasonable candidate will always do the right thing to preserve the peace and basic unity of his nation. A reasonable candidate would not push his nation to the brink. What was Mr. Granger thinking? He continues to maintain to this day that he had nothing to do with the undeclared result which took 5-months to resolve. (Reportedly, the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo forced GECOM and Mr. Granger, himself, to bring the impasse to an end – or else it might have dragged on much longer).
Mr. Granger’s argument was that he stood ready to concede whenever GECOM declared the result. But GECOM had been taken over by corrupt officials loyal to Mr. Granger’s party. GECOM had been in a state of paralysis and dysfunction. GECOM’s chairperson was either handicapped from acting or failing to perform her constitutional duties to the State. The litigants on both sides were looking to the Courts for a resolution – but the Courts too were of little or no help. Where did that leave Mr. Granger? Did the dysfunction at GECOM give Mr. Granger an excuse? I believe a good candidate must always be in charge of his campaign – and should act wisely to uphold the constitution, as well as preserve the social fabric of the society over which he ruled or wants to rule. Allowing the Constitution to fall by the wayside, allowing the social fabric to unravel – you give democracy no chance to take hold and thrive.
In Guyana, I believe election results, by law, should at all times be declared by midnight on the day of the elections. In the event of compelling circumstances that cause a delay, that matter must be resolved within a few days. Not five paralyzing months. The candidate himself must take the initiative to resolve the problem. That is what makes him an honorable statesman. In the year 2,000, Al Gore conceded the election after a few weeks (“And tonight, for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession”). Candidate Ciattarelli in New Jersey conceded because he cannot overcome the 74,000 vote gap. It took him nine days.
Mr. Granger too should have done the honourable thing and conceded the election within nine days – or less.

Yours truly,
Mike Persaud

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