‘Clement Rohee: not much wiser’

Aug 20, 2024 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Clement Rohee’s contribution ‘GECOM is capable of executing mandate’ (SN:15/08/2024) indicates well why Guyana is in its present perilous state. He claimed that since his appointment as a commissioner of GECOM in August 2022, ‘I have formed the opinion that, save for mischievous and unlawful acts by the human factor, GECOM can execute its constitutional mandate.’ But is it not arguably the most important part of Rohee’s and GECOM’s obligation to guard against ‘mischievous and unlawful acts’? I am certain that it was not Rohee’s intention to support what many have suspected, namely that GECOM is incapable of fulfilling its mandate.

Furthermore, Mr. Rohee seems to be incapable of appreciating the nuanced qualitative difference involved in comparative social discourse. He tells us that the populace tends to be suspicious and distrustful of ‘every government or constitutional body in the world’. Even if we understand his dash for comfort in generalisation, saying that the citizens of Norway are suspicious of their government’s activities is a far cry from Russian citizens saying the same thing.

Also, failing to grasp the dynamics that normally exist between teaching and learning, Mr. Rohee appears to believe that one can change the substantive negative view of GECOM by way of public education/propaganda but without significantly improving its effectiveness and inclusivity. He says that: “As regards the question of comforting the ordinary voter that GECOM will fulfill its constitutional mandate with honesty and integrity, I know that the Commission has plans to launch a Civic and Voter Education strategy that will place specific focus on the rebuilding of trust and confidence in the Commission!”

Then somewhat confusedly and clearly intending to mislead the publicà la PPP, Mr. Rohee attributed the following statement in my article (Elections skullduggery:’ VV; 11/08/2024 & KN 12/08/2024) to the Stabroek News editorial (SN: 12/08/2024) to which he liberally referred. ‘On the question of the voters’ register, the editorial (Jeffrey) added, “The PPP/C government, on the other hand, prefers to improve the existing voter register through extended continuous registration and somewhat improved procedures for the removal of deceased registrants. We shall see if the opposition will go to and hope to win an election with the current list because the PPP does not want it changed!”

But this speculation by me was based on the following position that was deliberately removed by Rohee. ‘[T]he European Union (EU) Final report recommended ‘a thorough update of the decade-old register well ahead of the next election cycle, based on inclusive consultations and political consensus.’ And the EU election follow-up mission of 2023 reported that the present electoral list remains problematical, and that the opposition is advocating that a new voter register be compiled through house-to-house registration combined with electronic capture of fingerprints, as well as advocating the introduction of biometric (fingerprint) verification of voters at polling places.’

The continuous registration process of claims and objections is considered insufficient yet that is precisely what Rohee offered when he stated that the exercise called for by the EU and CARICOM is an ongoing one which commenced in 2022! This and his misattribution aside, much more importantly, his political allegiance makes it impossible for him to accept that a workable democratic outcome required ‘consensus’ not the questionable majoritarianism that exists at GECOM.

Mr. Rohee then turned specifically to the positions I have taken in ‘Elections skullduggery’ above. He claimed that ‘Jeffrey documented several speculative points and unsubstantiated comments which he sought to peddle as facts.  In this regard, I wish to point out the following.’ Firstly, Jeffrey said ‘that rigging elections by way of a bloated list has now become the modus operandi in Guyana and is the major reason why only just over 20% of the population is certain they are not manipulated’. Notwithstanding what follows, Mr. Rohee claimed that I ‘did not even attempt to give a decent level of credibility to this blatant falsehood’.

Elections are best rigged long before elections day and some of this skulduggery can be detected on that day or thereafter. Thus, I noted that during the 2020 elections process the chairperson of GECOM, having requested and received reports from the relevant state officials about elections skulduggery, i.e., people voting that are either dead or were not in the country on elections day, concluded that the accusations were of sufficient import to come by way of an election petition. I pointed out that the former Chief Executive Officer of GECOM after considering the matter claimed that there were some 4,686 impersonations and other irregularities. Is he and his party not running helter-skelter to prevent consideration of this matter in the courts? Am I to understand that the PPP was lying when it filed a similar elections petition in relation to the 2015 elections? So why should I doubt Mr. Malcolm Harripaul ‘How the PPP and GECOM rigged the 2011 elections’ and believe the honourable comrades in Freedom House? I believe that the above provides a prima facie case and that Mr. Rohee and the PPP should have sought to definitively settle the matter in the courts rather than have 80% of the electorate questioning the current regime’s legitimacy!

Secondly, Mr. Rohee stated Jeffrey pleaded, ’Please spare me the nonsense about foreign monitors certifying elections.’ Jeffrey’s ‘position in this matter seems to be premised on the unified stance the APNU+AFC adopted towards the International Observers who challenged and exposed the rigging of the 2020 elections. … it appears that Jeffrey has joined with those who despise the presence of international election observers because they interfere in Guyana’s domestic affairs.’ Bearing in mind my above contention about his incapacity to properly grasp the nuances of comparative discourse, generally the presence of observers – particularly Western ones – has contributed to there being more free and fair elections and a more democratic world. But Clement Rohee, this does not mean they have never been wrong and when needs be prioritised their national interest, etc.

Finally, he claimed that I ‘failed to call into question and to admit that it is the same ‘bloated list’ that was used for the 2015 elections that brought the APNU+AFC to power.’ Yes, Mr. Rohee, it was a similar list but what do you think ‘[r]igging elections by way of a bloated list has now become the modus operandi in Guyana’s means? In ‘Guyana is a rigging field’ (SN: 05/02/2020 & SN: 12/02/2020) I asserted that both the PPP and the PNC have over many years been manipulating elections in Guyana and have deliberately constructed and sustained a bloated voters’ register. If they cared to pay attention, what Africans are facing today was cleary visible some time ago. I concluded ‘Two Thieves make God laugh’ (SN: 01/04/2020): ‘However, as the saying goes; ‘two thieves make God laugh and given the PPP’s more recent stance on shared governance, brace yourself for a bumpy ride!’

Sincerely,

Dr Henry Jeffrey

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• appointment, Commissioner, Dr Henry Jeffrey, GECOM, Guyana

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