Latest update February 5th, 2025 6:25 AM
Govt. slothful in thoroughly investigating GECOM – Dr. Yog Mahadeo
“Until that time when an independent commission of inquiry into GECOM is completed, the death, injury, racism, rape, fraud, financial loss and the disgrace that Guyana faced during the 2020 elections lies solely on the shoulders of Ali and his Government”
By Rehanna Ramsay
Kaieteur News – Shortly after taking office, almost two years ago, President Irfaan Ali promised that his administration will launch a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ensure that the atrocities committed during the March 2020 Regional and General Polls never happens again.
However, as time passes it appears as though the Head-of-State and government are in need of a reminder of the promised probe into the affairs of GECOM.
This is the viewpoint of businessman and transparency advocate, Dr. Yog Mahadeo, who is also a member of the civil society group, Article 13. Dr. Mahadeo, in a letter to the editor, expressed his thoughts on what he believes is the slothfulness of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration to deal with the problems of GECOM.
Guyanese businessman, Dr. Yog Mahadeo
He stressed that the move by law enforcement to charge three top ranking officers of elections is simply not enough. “Prosecuting Lowenfield, Mingo, et al, is not enough. Why has there been no independent inquiry into GECOM…[The March 2020 elections] continues to be the most expensive failure of Guyana…almost two years and counting…why is there no Commission of Inquiry?” Mahadeo asked.
He noted that while some of the accusations surrounding the March 2020 elections may seem farfetched, they cannot be taken lightly since there were genuine efforts to derail those elections.
As such, he queried, “Why is the government silent on Amna Ally’s ID-card accusation of Nandlall? Or Norton’s public testimony of ‘a woman’ who he claimed voted twice. Or worse yet, the immigration officers who sent a supposedly fraudulent list of persons allegedly out of the country but whose votes were recorded? Or the disastrous recount that brought more disgrace on this land? What of the manipulation of the report of [Statement of Polls] SOPs at GECOM? Or of the dangerous statements from many persons on the floor, balcony and offices of GECOM’s headquarters…?”
In the meantime, he opined, Guyanese are forced to suffer a false presumption that getting rid of Lowenfield and Mingo will be the “miracle cure” for GECOM.
He reiterated that following, the March 2020 polls, “racism, violence and death reared their ugly heads – and yet [citizens] continue to be silent, creating a contrivance for the beneficiaries of electoral fraud!”
“How can we expect the same GECOM, with its reluctant head, and the same commissioners who held this country to ransom for five months to continue believing that they live in a mythical land that requires no accountability for their intemperate statements, and bias and dangerous political and personal agendas?” the businessman asked.
In calling on the Ali Administration to fulfill the promise to thoroughly probe and improve GECOM, Dr. Mahadeo reminded that it was taxpayers’ money that was abused to perpetuate the gravest fraud.
He said, “Until that time when an independent commission of inquiry into GECOM is completed, the death, injury, racism, rape, fraud, financial loss and the disgrace that Guyana faced during the 2020 elections lies solely on the shoulders of Ali and his Government.”
Moreover, he said that the onus is now on the government to investigate and ensure an independent inquiry and review of GECOM.
“… Are we going to deal with the accusations that led to mayhem? Or are we now a nation that will allow the perpetrators to get ready for a repeat in 2025? The slick of oil and the sparkle of oil wealth must not blind us from ensuring democratic progress. We hereby call for an independent Commission of Inquiry into the 2020 Elections and GECOM,” Dr. Mahadeo said in his call for a probe into GECOM.
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