Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
May 07, 2020 Letters
DEAR EDITOR,
Recount has commenced. But will it lead to the right result that would reflect the will of the voters? Mingo is gone. But there could be other Mingos among those doing the recount. And the CEO Lowenfield, who prepared a final report using the fraudulent count, is still there. Guyanese are not assured there would not be a repeat of what transpired at GECOM (Ashmin building and headquarter)? What could deter another fraudulent count?
I have interacted with Guyanese at home and abroad and local and foreign observers for their views on the recount process and on threatened sanctions against those involved in the rigging of the original count. Almost everyone in agreement that those who partook and or conspired in the count rigging must face sanctions now so as to deter others from fouling up the recount. Otherwise, they said, there would be a repeat of what transpired on March 4 and March 13. As they commented, threats of consequences on political actors and or intellectual authors of rigging have not had a chilling effect on plotters at GECOM. Actual sanctions (cancellation of visas) against the most egregious actors and connivers of fraud would send a clear message.
People have become frustrated and are losing hope in the electoral process. As they noted, there have been too many tweets and media releases about consequences (meaning sanctions). They also note that riggers have not backed down after those threats. The fraudsters show no fear of threats of consequences. They feel actual sanctions (cancellations of visas, seizure and or freezing of assets, etc) would send the right message to political actors and staff at GECOM, and all others involved in the fraud.
While one must give the recounting process time to work and the counters an opportunity to demonstrate they would not be participants of rigging, sanctions would send the right message for them to follow the law and do the right thing. While the recounting is going on, nothing stops the international community (Embassies of ABCE countries) and OAS, Caricom and Commonwealth regions from showing it means business on consequences. Mingo and the bared-faced others at Gecom, including those who prepared and are willing to accept a sham report based on a fraudulent certification of SOPs, must be sanctioned. If actual sanctions have been announced, visas cancelled, and other legal actions taken against perpetrators of fraud, the GECOM staff now undertaking the recount would think twice about compromising the recount. Otherwise riggers at GECOM would simply carry out political instructions as happened on March 4 and thereafter.
The US, Canada, UK, Europe are known to have utilized sanctions against actors in so many countries to get desired outcomes especially relating to democratic elections. Threats sometimes worked, but when failed, actual sanctions were undertaken and enforced leading to desired outcome. Guyanese and observers feel there must be implementation of sanctions against fraudsters to send a clear message to deter recounting fraud and to bring a final resolution to the process. Examples are needed in Guyana of those involved in rigging as happened in other countries like Bolivia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, etc. The staff doing recount need to understand and be reminded what are the consequences for any attempted fraud.
Aside from international sanctions, staff also need to know that it is against the law and they would be prosecuted for assisting in election rigging or compromising the vote recount.
Yours truly
Dr. Vishnu Bisram
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
Apr 19, 2024
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