Frankly speaking...
Stabroek News
March 9, 2001
[Oh, pardon the seeming familiarity in the caption. Just an
attention-getter. No disrespect meant.]
Chairman of the Elections Commission which is representative of four
major parties, retired Major-General Joseph G. Singh, I just feel
compelled to write you today. Purely from my perspective, of course.
Though it's shared by many thousands of our countrymen. Not the noisy,
more vocal types. The silent majority.
Like TUF's Manzoor Nadir, after Mr Hoyte visited Mr Jagdeo, I
wondered why they didn't agree on the 26th March for the elections,
instead of the nineteenth. But yes, that is irrelevant (?) right now.
So I've penned you these notes under these headings.
(1) Your efforts so far
Eighty per cent! That's what I give you up to this point. But
Oh Boy! That other 20% could be so crucial to your final test, your
overall performance, your reputation and your integrity.
To this "Technical Assessor", your achievements as
Commission Chief outweighs the few blemishes. After all, the
politicians and parliamentarians caused the delay of your real
start-up. (People forget that - some conveniently.) After all too, "They"
made you declare adamantly, during the early runnings, that "the
new National I.D. card would be the only form of identification
acceptable on polling day." And "They" made you err in
terms of the PVL, the RVL and the FVL, now styled the "OLE".
(I don't mean to confuse the uninitiated, but I am really referring to
some timings and purposes of those lists which you were made to
utter.) Certainly not your fault and, in my book, you lose no
significant "points" - or marks.
Again, timings made you slip up badly with your voter education
programme - I suppose. I suspect it will disturb you, however
slightly, that your PR/Voter ED people, reduced you to ensuring that
your nation's electors only know, by March 19, just how to make and
put the "X" against the party of their choice. I know
you regret that most of the masses won't truly grasp the
concept(s) of geographic constituencies vis-à-vis the
allocation of the Forty (40) Top-up seats. Despite Hugh's
soothing but authoritative voice. After all, the two major parties owe
their supporters that education, that understanding. Right?
(2) Rumours, charges, allegations
You'll appreciate that these come with the territory. For example,
some PPP types accuse you of manning the Secretariat and the Elections
Centre in a lopsided manner - ethnic-wise. But I've explained to them
that the same politicians gave you no time for more balanced
affirmative-action type recruitment at the senior levels. Then again,
if it's any bias it really would be characterised not by race
or ethnic group but, possibly, by a tilt towards known PNC
sympathisers or supporters. (You just had to vote for "experience"!?)
But it is the new plethora of allegations levelled against your
Commission and its operatives over the past week-end that troubles me.
And shall concern you. I notice you reacted sharply on Monday. In all
their guises the Opposition Teleactivists were all over you. Choice
allegations in this open silly season include(d): Your officials
on the West Demerara are engaging in partisan electoral skulduggery;
some are "enfranchising" Brazilians with new I.D. cards,
even before our nationals get same; plane-loads of illegal voters are
coming in from Canada, USA and Trinidad to beat your systems
(presumably in favour of the ruling PPP/Civic's chances); there is
discrimination in the final assessment and recruitment of Polling Day
officials and there are moles and/or sabateurs in your ISD/Computer
Nerve Centre where the lists and the ID Cards are produced.
OK, I know that you're quietly apprised of those few - as well as the
Big One that Master Registration Cards (MRC's) were stolen and
misused - and that you've responded appropriately. But recall that I
had promoted the proposal to publicise the identities of key
staff? Letting the electorate know just who you have in
crucial sensitive positions. It would have been a revelation!
Should I do it? Naw, I respect your call for their "confidentiality"
to be maintained; not to make them "targets". But the
teleactivists are getting away with murderous mischief. They say
anything then say they don't have to produce any evidence as they
protect their "sources". Poor Commission.
(3) They still "love" you
Up to now. In the not-so-subtle campaign to "prepare for
protests and petitions" after the results numerous allegations
are being created and spread.
Just in case. The cheated-not-defeated preparations really
should impact on your preparations and current work. The protagonists
preach rigging manoeuvres by infiltrators. So far, you have been
exonerated - in advance! You are still above reproach. You "don't
know everything that is going on", they declare. ( I don't know
just how you should regard those "compliments".)
But respectfully Sir, I caution you - whatever your own inner
personal political preferences - Your present admirers are capable
of turning on you like venomous tenacious tarantulas! Just ask Jimmy
Carter, Justice Ulric Cross, Doodnauth Singh - People they once "loved"
- former Deputy US Ambassador Kennedy, Festus Brotherson, Prime
Minister Kenny Anthony and Basdeo Panday, Kit Nascimento, Henry
Jeffrey, Odinga Lumumba, (former comrades), Bishop George and Laurie
Lewis, to mention a few. (I can't include myself as I'm far from
being that prominent.) But I trust that, after the
nineteenth, you escape that fate, that wrath....
(4) Until...
I'll close these comments, My Chairman, by congratulating you on
being able to access substantial funding for all aspects of your
assignment including your modern-day technological communication
support: short-wave radios, cellular telephones, state-of-the-art
computers, etc. Your predecessors were not as fortunate, to the same
extent. Congrats. The donors smile at our "independence"
what? So every election, I like to ask - airy-fairy like - why
couldn't we ask Brazil, Trinidad and/or the USA to lend us a few
helicopters for Polling Day and the day after? For your hinterland
exercises.
Well Sir, good luck over the next nine or ten days. I'll call you on,
say, the twenty-first?
Respectfully Yours
A.A. Fenty
Other moments in March
Guess what? Besides my wife's and well-known Late Uncle A.B.C.'s
Birthdates being in March, Elections are scheduled for this 19th. The
death anniversaries of both Kowsilla, GAWU heroine, and Dr.
Cheddi Jagan fall/fell on the sixth.
But enough of deaths! Today is Mr Desmond Hoyte's
birthday - the start of the South Africa W.I. Cricket series 2001.
Mr Hoyte needs something to celebrate. This month! Because the PPP/C
people plan big celebrations on the 22nd - Cheddi's birthday!
Pim-Pim.
Campaign! Campaign!
1) Mr Hoyte says "we will not endure another five years
of these people" Banks DIH Reis says he is "optimistic of
stability after the elections". I guess they both know something.
2) I don't have my New Nation with me as I write this so my "Nascimento
piece" has to be held over.
3) Ho-ho-ho. I won't tantalise Joe Brandt, my friend, by
telling him "I told you so". Even consultant Ramon, has been
booted out of GPSU. I told Joe not to bother...
4) Dessie removed and effectively neutralised Hammie from "the
Party". So who is the Big Bad Wolf these days?
5) So the PPP never won! In '92 or '97. No support?
6) The Chief Magistrate explains just how bad things have become in
Guyana. Even a Haitian Refugee here begs to return to Haiti,
he says.
7) I have a gut feeling that Hooper's appointment will turn West
Indian Cricket fortunes around. Appreciate Michael Holding's
principles though. (You don't have to agree with him).
8) If a big burly policeman gun-butts me, won't my brains be
addled.