Latest update January 17th, 2025 6:30 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

DEMOCRACY IS NOT FOR CHEATS

May 12, 2020 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Robert Stigwood, the famous Australian theatre and movie producer, rolled off a series of hits during his career. He also had his share of flops but will always be remembered for his production of Jesus Christ Super Star, Grease and Saturday Night Fever.
The latter movie had a very ordinary storyline but went on to become a huge commercial success. It was primarily responsible for launching John Travolta into a superstar.
Saturday Night Fever was an attempt to examine American suburban culture and its characters who were trying to become successful. The suburban culture, however was riddled with moral corruption, as shown in one of the earlier scene in which the paint store, for which the central character works, fleeces an old lady by selling her a marked-up tin of paint bought from another store. The central character Tony Manero (played by Travolta) eventually became dismayed by the system and its contradictions.
One of the memorable scenes from that 1977 movie was during the disco competition. Tony Manero knew that he had lost the competition and so when he was handed the trophy, he promptly took it and gave it to the couple whom he felt had won.
There is a moral behind that scene. It is about a man who desires a real triumph in life, not the fleeting success and recognition which comes every Saturday night. And that scene in the movie where Manero refuses to accept a rigged result, goes to the very heart of the movie.
Honourable men and women do not cheat. Nor do they accept rigged results. You do not become aloof and say it was the judges who said that I won. Honesty and integrity are the hallmarks of honour. And honour is about knowing you lost and refusing to claim or accept a false victory.
If you know that you have lost, you do the honourable thing. You refuse to accept a rigged result. Unfortunately, this honour happens more often in the movies than in real-life politics.
Democracy has certain conventions. Those participating in elections under democratic systems are expected to abide by these unwritten rules. In America and Great Britain – among the world’s foremost democracies – whenever a party realises that it is losing or has lost an elections, it is normal for the leader of that party to call his opposite’s number, the victorious or winning candidate, to congratulate that person.
We have never had that culture here. It was only in 1992 that Guyana had a case whereby the loser of an election called and congratulated the winner. Desmond Hoyte, realising that he could not win the elections, called Cheddi Jagan and congratulated him. He then publicly conceded defeat. It never happened again.
It is therefore a fallacy that it is only because of oil that Guyana is in the present predicament where the loser of the elections does not wish to concede. The losers have not publicly conceded since 1992. It has become part of our political sub-culture for elections’ losers to refuse to concede.
There is a reason why this is so. When you lose an election, especially three elections in a row as Desmond Hoyte did in 1992, 1997 and 2001, there are usually demands within your party for changes in the leadership and for those who were responsible for the failed campaign to step down and give way to others. When you lose, you have to subject to the will of your party. Some do not wish to face that process.
Jeremy Corbyn resigned as leader of the Labour Party after his party’s loss in the elections last December. Freundel Stuart of Barbados resigned after his party’s massive defeat in the 2018 elections. This is part of the democratic culture, part of the convention, which is expected of honourable politicians.
The two main political groupings – the APNU+AFC and the PPPC –know who won the 2020 elections. They have their copies of the statements of polls for each polling station. They would have tabulated these by the day following the elections. They know the final outcome.
It takes integrity and honesty to admit that you have lost an election. And that is what honourable men and women do.
Integrity and honesty are required for free and fair elections. Democracy is not for cheats. It is not for the disreputable. Those who do not have the character of honour should not participate in elections. They are an anathema to democracy.
Success should come with honour. That much we can take away from Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 13th, 2025

 

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Windies captain Brathwaite stresses bravery, belief ahead of Pakistan Test Series

Windies captain Brathwaite stresses bravery, belief ahead of Pakistan...

Jan 17, 2025

SportsMax – With the stakes high and the odds challenging, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite has placed an unyielding focus on self-belief and bravery as key factors for his team to deliver...
Read More
In-form Savory dazzles on second day with classy half-century

In-form Savory dazzles on second day with classy...

Jan 17, 2025

Moo Milk sponsors National U12 Chess tourneys

Moo Milk sponsors National U12 Chess tourneys

Jan 17, 2025

Determinators’ 2-1 win over Pele FC keep them alive as DeJonge needles Potaro

Determinators’ 2-1 win over Pele FC keep them...

Jan 17, 2025

Lusignan Golf Club to host Inaugural GBTI Mastercard Golf Classic this Sunday

Lusignan Golf Club to host Inaugural GBTI...

Jan 17, 2025

GFF Referee department recognizes top performances at Referee Award Ceremony, FIFA badges issued

GFF Referee department recognizes top...

Jan 17, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]