Dear Editor,
THE present political crisis over the final results of the 2020 General and Regional elections was expected, since nether the APNU+AFC nor the PPP/C is willing to accept defeat unless it is proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This is understandable, given that these elections were identified as the “mother” of all elections in Guyana and were driven by the implications of the vast wealth that will come from oil and gas and the inevitable effects on the country, politically, economically and socially.
As a nation, we have refused to address the inherent inadequacies of our electoral and governance systems and have allowed the winner-takes-all system to reign supreme and be viewed as the ultimate prize of elections in Guyana, with little or no regard for the negative impact on governance, economic equity, social cohesion and race relations. Today we are faced with a crisis of our own making. Rather than seeking to resolve it internally as a matter of historic necessity, our leadership, on both sides of the divide, have resorted prematurely to invoking the intervention of external forces. Many of these forces are not at all concerned with Guyanese national interests. For them, the extent to which their geopolitical strategic interests can be achieved underscores where their foremost importance resides. These extra-regional powers have no permanent political alliances in the hemisphere, but are largely motivated by their permanent self-interest. Often, our domestic contestations make us lose sight of this most important lesson of history. We forget that those we are calling on to resolve our current difficulties are the very people who, through their exploitative machinations, are responsible for us being firmly entrenched in our present condition.
As matters now stand our judicial system is being tested in a manner that is unprecedented in our post-independence history. To our credit, our courts have, in the most volatile of conditions, delivered judgements in an impartial manner. In doing so the members of the judiciary to a large extent have asserted their independence to the surprise of a few but in keeping with the expectations of many. What is unfortunate is, the massive pressure being put on the judicial officials by the threats of sanctions from external powers. This can have the effect of making them unwilling parties in compromising their impartiality and independence. There is the old saying that justice must not only be done – but must appear to be done. In these circumstances, it is difficult to see this open, not veiled threats, being helpful in our politically and racially divided society.
Having said the above I wish to point out that the most recent legal challenge to the proposed CARICOM supervision of the recount of votes cast in the March 2, 2020 elections will test the sincerity of all of the forces, both local and foreign, that claimed their commitment to abide by the rule of law and to adhere to the constitution. This matter, I am sure, will finally be determined in the Caribbean Court of Justice.
Regards
Tacuma Ogunseye
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_03_19_2020