Dear Editor,
AS the recount process comes closer to completion, Mr. Frederick Kissoon is demonstrating that he is in a “deep” opposition conspiracy with elements supportive of the PPP/C to discredit and demonise GECOM’s Chair, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh as they accuse her of collaboration with the government and the APNU+AFC to rig the elections, and now the recount process. His most recent attack on Madam Chairman Singh is contained in his June 2, 2020 KN column, captioned “Claudette Singh and deep-state conspiracy”.
Here are a few examples of Kissoon’s revolting abuse of Claudette Singh: – “… to explain the nasty, ugly connections between the police, GECOM, and the government to derail the 2020 election.”; – “ …there is a deep state conspiracy to rig the elections results. That has been happening since March 4, Claudette Singh cannot escape scrutiny in this scenario. “; – “ Singh has skipped from one ugly decision to another that is simply destroying this country”; and “ Her latest display is her communication to the Police Commissioner on allegations made by APNU+AFC.
Kissoon’s reference contained in my last quote attempts to further tarnish the reputation of Madam Singh when he alleged in his column that she didn’t see it as ethical or decent to include the Commission in her decision…..” This claim of Kissoon is without foundation, is a blatant lie and should be cause for libel action against him by Madam Chairman Singh, if she so chooses to proceed against him. It is clear that he has been fed a diet of lies by his friends at Freedom House, and vomits it up without even the benefit of a cursory check to find out if what he claimed is true.
I am advised by Commissioner Desmond Trotman that at a meeting of the Commission, Madam Chairman Singh brought to the attention of the Commission the relevant information and the course of action she had taken. Her action flowed from two previous meetings. The first was with the APNU+AFC when their representatives referred to serious anomalies witnessed by their agents in the evolving recount exercise. They were told to provide the evidence they claimed to have, and when that was done steps would be taken by GECOM to verify the validity of the concerns raised.
The second meeting, which occurred on the next day, was one of GECOM Commissioners, which discussed the issues raised at the meeting between GECOM and the APNU+AFC delegation. I am further advised by Commissioner Trotman that Madam Chairman Singh at that meeting made the point that he who asserts must prove and she committed to acting to clarify whether the information, once provided had merit.
In my humble opinion, Kissoon’s ramblings lack merit and are merely propaganda items manufactured in Freedom House to advance their devious campaign to bully their way back into office.
I propose to examine here the most recent controversy over the GECOM Chair writing to the Police Commissioner to verify names on an APNU+AFC list submitted to GECOM as persons who allegedly voted on Election Day when, in fact, they were out of the country. This matter is linked to the PPP/C’s objection that GECOM has no power to address irregularities and anomalies in the recount process. There are opposing views both in and out of GECOM, and with most legal matters, the courts are the final arbiter on these controversies. In the absence of a court ruling, the Chair and GECOM have to press forward bearing in mind the following: Time-frame of the recount; the known division in the Commission; and the need for addressing the important revelations coming out of the examination of the ballot boxes.
These are all in the national interest since it is important for the acceptance of the recount findings. In this situation, Chairman Claudette Singh will be expected to cast the crucial vote if the Commission is deadlocked if and when a vote is taken. She, therefore, needs to be allowed some space to inform herself on matters she needs to address. Writing to the Police Commissioner for immigration information is one such occasion. The PPP/C and Kissoon and his handlers, in their obsession with “power”, are not thinking right. They are poor dialecticians, to say the least. They fail to see the intrinsic interrelation between Claudette Singh’s ability to exercise her casting vote objectively and independently, which requires her to be confident of information laid before her. Denying her that critical space can be counterproductive to the PPP/C’s interest.
Kissoon’s erroneous theory of “deep-state conspiracy” is malicious and dangerous propaganda that can destroy the fragile fabric of our society. He writes: “Singh has skipped from one ugly decision to another that is simply destroying this country.” Any objective observer of the election crisis will be hard-pressed not to recognise the perilous situation that GECOM and the country are facing as we seek to determine the credibility of the elections. If Claudette Singh did not act responsibly in the election crisis, we may not be speaking of wanting a democratic outcome. To the extent that we are not burning like America is the result of the good sense demonstrated by the President, the Opposition Leader and the Chair of GECOM. Only the mind of a “political lunatic” can’t comprehend this reality.
As I said earlier, the PPP/C, Kissoon and his handlers are not thinking, but are driven by “lust for power”. Their chosen strategy of attacking, demonising and falsely accusing the GECOM Chair of colluding with the government and APNU+AFC can backfire for that party and their supporters, like Kissoon. All the Chair has to do at the critical moment is to declare that the Opposition has no confidence in her impartiality, and as such refuse to vote.
I end by stating that the PPP/C’s political nearsightedness in their dealing with GECOM and Chair, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh is self-defeating.
Regards,
Tacuma Ogunseye
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_06_06_2020