Bungled from day one

HOPE THAT the recount in Guyana would restore confidence in the election process was on Wednesday served a severe blow by Bruce Golding who declared, “I have never seen a more transparent effort to alter the results of an election.” Caricom must take note.

In a blistering response, the administration of David Granger said Golding’s findings were premature. It argued the former Jamaican PM, and Organisation of American States (OAS) observer team head, was biased, compromised, and an unabashed co-conspirator with the opposition.

But the problem for the Granger administration is it aired no such objections to Golding prior to Wednesday. In fact, Granger hosted Golding on March 8 under the auspices of his presidential office. Worsening the impression of a case of shooting the messenger is the fact that Golding is not the first senior regional figure to raise the alarm. Early on, former Barbados PM Owen Arthur expressed reservations. He was promptly cast by officials as being compromised, and the Commonwealth delegation which he led was subject to an implied threat of removal of accreditation.

Every time a question is raised about process, there is a turn to personality. Why?

Whatever the answer, none of this changes the disappointing fact that the election in March was bungled from day one. Problems at the polls, lengthy delays in the emergence of results, question marks over adherence to procedure, legal wrangling in the courts, and now an infernally slow recount process which could last a month, if not more, mean whoever prevails will be distrusted. This situation is irredeemable.

The tortuously long timeline might be unremarkable, given Guyana’s history, were it not for the fact that voting came after months of delays, ostensibly for the purpose of preparing; lengthy efforts were made on the part of the Granger administration to litigate the poll in court; and it all had a scandalous genesis: the shock defeat of the government in a confidence vote.

Golding’s damning report is not good for Guyana and its people. Nor is it good for the Caribbean integration movement. No nation has a right to interfere with the affairs of another sovereign state. However, Caricom must realise any dealings with Guyana will inevitably compromise Caricom itself. The regional block cannot allow itself to indirectly legitimise what has amounted to a most irregular process.

From all perspectives – economic, social, diplomatic, democratic – the situation is deeply worrying. And inflammatory. History shows the potential for violence.

Ironically, all of this comes as the question of election integrity is troubling countries all over the globe. Can the world learn lessons from Guyana’s misfortunes? Rumours on the ground, about various forms of foreign interference, lend credence to what may soon become an irresistible call. There must be an inquiry into what has happened.

After, that is, we get results.