Questions over Guyana election

THE EDITOR: Up to my time of writing on Tuesday, there is still no result for the Guyanese elections. According to President Granger, in the news this week, the Caricom team will not supervise the recount independently, but under the terms and reference of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Is it not worrisome that it was under the supervision of officials of GECOM that the problems of the original count originated and that Caricom, as a final resort, was called in to provide the transparency lacking in that effort? So why now, is GECOM once again seeking to take the front seat in this new effort, debarring Caricom from acting independently? Wouldn't that have been the presumed role of the Caribbean body to rectify the problems created by GECOM?

Is it that GECOM is seeking to assume that role in the recount because, according to Granger, the role of GECOM as an independent body should be respected as dictated by Guyana's Constitution? But can a body be given that respect due to it by the Constitution, if from all reports, it failed to discharge its duty in a way that is credible and transparent to many, including reputable international observers?

Should GECOM be accorded that independent role once again having forfeited same by its obvious mishandling of the initial effort? The future of Guyana is at stake and if a “foreign mediator” is not allowed to play an independent role in the recount and is stymied by the same organisation, under whose watch, so many problems arose.

If the perception is created that GECOM had a key role in the final tabulation ,with Caricom as second fiddle, my fear is the situation will become irretrievable. Guyana has a gold mine to inherit in the upcoming months and years. Would the greed for power cause men to lose sight of the need to take an informed, intelligent approach to solving this débâcle in the interest of all the people of Guyana, the Caribbean and indeed the world? I leave that answer to you

ERROL BENJAMIN

Via e-mail