By Melina Harris
All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players”- William Shakespeare, As You Like It. Our recent elections drama bas illuminated some concerning aspects of Guyana’s place on the world stage. As a young democracy and former colonial nation, the heavy involvement of the international community in our internal affairs as a sovereign nation is worrisome.
Even more so when one considers the shared common history existing between Guyana and the former colonialists; namely, the ABCE nations. The recent regional and general elections resented an invitation to those nations to send Observer Groups to observe Guyana’s elections processes and thereafter prepare reports based on recommendations aimed at strengthening and improving our democracy.
The would-be promulgators and protectors of democracy, the ABCE nations, are often deeply involved in the politics of developing nations and democracies so it has almost become customary for their presence within our political landscape to be expected. These powerful nations have social, political and economic interests in Guyana and more importantly, her resources. Our vast oil reserves buried offshore, signalled the attention of the oligarchs, mercenaries and enforcers of the international community, along with the merry band of ABCE nations and many of their acquired comrades. As such, Guyana hosted the largest contingent of international Observer Groups in what has been one of the most controversial elections we have endured.
The elections process was sadly highjacked by the opposition and their cronies who have, at every step of the process, sought to obfuscate, obstruct and derail orderly conduct and established processes. The criminal invasion of GECOM, the alleged attempts to tamper with GECOM records, the dissemination of false statements of poll, the incitement of civil unrest and overall wanton disregard for the rule of law. These are not minor infractions, so it boggles my mind, that these incidents escaped the ever watchful eyes of the international observer groups, who have been all too quick to comment on elections matters as they developed.
What has transpired has not gone unnoticed by Guyanese who are concerned that the international community, through their observer groups, have over stepped their mark and wholly outstayed their welcome. This past week, the narrative has been taken over by these groups and the internation all community through their willingness to issues strongly worded, threatening, statement against Guyana under the pretense of upholding the rule of law and democracy for Guyanese people. Guyanese should not be intimidated when all of us are more than aware of the underlying conflicts which have affected these elections.
Furthermore, the stony silence on the part of the international observer groups in relation to the actions of the opposition is extremely telling, Why has there been no statement condemning the actions of the opposition and their supporters? Why have these groups only focused on fuelling the oppositionled narrative of electoral fraud? We are only left to conclude that certain observer groups are no more impartial than the political parties they secretly support.
For instance, the Organisation of American States Observer Group led by former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, has issued a number of strongly-worded statements and then finally decided to walk out of the long-awaited Region Four verification process .. After the OAS Observer Group walked out of the verification process on Friday, they went on to issue a statement. The statement noted that, ‘The process employed by the Returning Officer for Region Four is not transparent and, based on the numbers that have emanated since the process was first disrupted, is unlikely to produce a result that is credible and is able to command public confidence.” They continued that “To date, neither the Chief Elections Officer nor APNU has challenged the authenticity of the statements of poll published by the PPP/Civic by producing the copies in their possession. 1l1e implications are deeply troubling and make it all the more necessary for the Returning Officer to display the statements of poll on which he is relying.” It might be redundant but why should APNU or GECOM have to challenge publicly, the statements of poll published by the opposition? Neither APNU nor PPP/C are responsible for disseminating SOPs, that’s GECOM’s remit. Additionally, several smaller parties also contesting the elections noted that the SOPs they received from the PPP/C are different from the originals displayed at d1e polling stations. And finally, here is the kicker; ‘The legitimacy of any government that is installed in these circumstances will be open to question. This would be a terrible blow to the country’s democracy. The people of Guyana do not deserve this.” Indeed, the people of Guyana do not deserve this.
The actions and statements of the Carter Center have also not gone unnoticed.
Again, Guyanese know and understand exactly what is going on here. Deep pockets are very far reaching and the merry band of saviours beating down upon our shores proves that much. In the meantime, our very own Private Sector Commission, has been brandishing the names of the ‘powers of the world’ is a poorly made attempt to create a narrative of mounting international pressure against Guyana due to the handing of these elections. Like some misinfom1ed Guyanese who believe that the world’s powers really, truly want the best for Guyana and Guyanese, the Private Sector Comm ission might do well to invest its strengths into matters in house. Many businesses remain clo:sed although tensions have been de-escalated for days now. Stop the fear mongering and open back up the economy.
Finally, whilst we must recognise that there is room for improvement, Guyanese do not need their hands to be held whilst we make our improvements. The privilege of being invited to observe our intimate constitutional processes is indeed a privilege and not a right. The former colonisers and would-he neo-colonialists must he remined that they are guests in our house. Otherwise, like the OAS Obser er Group, their outbound flights await them at CJlA.
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e-paper_3-15-2020