Mia and Burnham’s lappe

Prof Ramesh Deosaran

I have a growing admiration for Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

Courageous, decisive, articulate and as Caricom chairman, she now leads a team of four Caricom prime ministers to help ensure peace, order and of course fair and free elections in troubled Guyana. (Pop: 786,550.Indian 44%, African 30%, mixed 17%, Amerindian 9%) No ambivalence in responding to a Caricom partner in need.

Today, Guyana’s international reputation is badly soiled. Reflecting world opinion, the New York Times wrote: “The US, British, Canadian and EU officials said they were worried about alleged electoral fraud influencing the results of the March 2 vote. They stated: ‘We call on President Granger to avoid a transition of government which we believe would be unconstitutional as it would be based on a vote tabulation process that lacked credibility and transparency.’”

I also recall Guyana’s 1980 elections – another very rowdy, controversial one. The Commonwealth sent an observer team to monitor and report on it. Led by British Lord Avebury, and as youngish lecturer/columnist, I was a member on the team. As Ms Mottley and her team well know, such missions can provide both excitement and unexpected risks. In 1980, Forbes Burnham’s People’s National Congress won 41 of the 53 seats, Dr Cheddi Jagan’s People’s Progressive Party won 10, United force 2 seats. The electorate was 493,550 with a 82% turnout. Burnham’s media policy of developmental journalism did help him. This election was widely described as “fraudulent.”(eg D. Nohlen, Elections in the Americas, 2005) Guyana’s other troubles included suspension of its constitution (1953-57) re-newed British rule, party fragmentation with Jagan remaining socialist. Chaotic times.

Now governments do not particularly like external observer missions for their country’s elections. Last week, we read of a Guyanese minister threatening to expel international observers. The 1980 Lord Avebury team also had challenges – shaky support from Returning Officers to inexplicable delays at the airport. One night, during dinner at our Georgetown hotel, a waiter came with an official messenger. The messenger was holding a large brown bag. He approached Lord Avebury, offering the bag, saying that it was a gift from President Forbes Burnham. The delegates quickly looked at one another.

The waiter politely declared it was a lappe. A lappe? This was of course a diplomatic moment. But who would eat it? A few tasted it. With Ms Mottley and her distinguished team, there would likely be less suspicions over dinner. I had unwelcome experiences on two other international observer teams – in the May 1989 Panama elections and the February 1990 Nicaragua elections.

Facing twelve parties, some in loose coalitions, Panama’s strong man Manuel Noreiga used his army to suppress opposition, even placing observer Jimmy Carter under house arrest during the elections. I too was frightened, especially when hearing bullets flying around Managua’s hotel. Carter publicly asked Noreiga: “Are you all honest people or thieves?” Real confusion. Return flights got scarce. I resorted to a friend in the Port of Spain-based US Embassy who provided assistance. In December 1989, the US invaded Panama and captured Noreiga.

The 1990 Nicaragua elections had its share of fraud allegations and political confusion. Those days the US supported the rebellious Contras. The US favourite Violeta Chammorro won over ruling socialist president Daniel Ortega in spite of numerous polls favouring Ortega. I myself sent the Sunday Guardian editor, Therese Mills, a cable predicting Ortega as victor. I too was wrong. I was stationed at polling booths deep inside the forest. Friendly villagers bought provision and meat for my lunch. No lappe. As the booths closed, I was left alone at 10 pm hearing various animal sounds. A van picked me up.

Allegations of elections fraud are nothing new in this region. With an expected billion-dollar income from an ExxonMobil-driven oil industry, whoever wins the March 2 elections will have a lot of healing and mending to do. From what I saw first-hand in 1980 and subsequent elections, one way to ease racial tensions in Guyana is to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. Guyana’s Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo declared the results before all votes were counted.

President David Granger on social media prematurely declared victory. Acting on a PPP injunction, Chief Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire ruled last Wednesday that the process needs to be properly completed before final declarations are made. The courageous Ms Mottley must help ensure this.