Dear Editor, I write this letter prompted by the letter entitled: “APNU and PPP/C must use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for meaningful constitutional reforms” in Stabroek News, Friday, July 12, 2019, and “The prisoner’s dilemma and a call to extend and reform”, in Kaieteur News of the same date, by Terrence R Blackman and Thomas B Singh. I am responding because I think that they are both earnest and well-intended. And, I would say that taking account of the social peace and quiet in our country since the NCM, the overwhelming…
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The Int’l community must act to save Guyana from further decay
Dear Editor, Over the coming weeks, the international community will be subjected to numerous Guyanese voices pleading for swift and decisive actions to ensure Guyana remains a democratic State. It is now clear that left to his own devices, President Granger will not act in ‘good faith’; only pressure will bring about a change in approach, so, why are so many of us asking for international interventions? Surely this is an internal affair for the people of the nation to resolve. Make no mistake, the people will not abdicate their…
Read MoreCaricom should intervene in Guyana’s crisis
Dear Editor, The CCJ’s final orders emphasised that the Constitution, which deals with the consequences of the passage of such a motion, should be strictly followed, while the process of the appointment of a GECOM Chairman must be done with utmost importance to ensure that Guyana remains a democratic State. Unfortunately, because of David Granger and his reluctance to appoint an impartial GECOM Chairman, who would be independent and competent to manage the elections per the provision of the electoral laws, GECOM remains non-functional. The President is definitely bent to…
Read MoreToo many inappropriate things happening under Granger’s watch
Dear Editor, When Dr Ashni Singh was Finance Minister and his wife was working in the same Ministry, Dr Singh, his family and the PPP/C Government went through tremendous criticisms from the PNCR, other political parties and certain sections of the media. The cry was “conflict of interest”. This was also the fate of Mr Khurshid Sattaur – former Commissioner General of Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and his sons during their employment at GRA. Today, the officials of the coalition Government are doing worse in every sector of the country…
Read MoreEmpty promises with the aim of winning support
Dear Editor, With amusement, I watched on as this Administration once again started making empty promises and building voters’ hopes up in an attempt to win back the voters that they greatly disappointed. What is ironic is that they failed to address the empty promises they made before the last general election and interestingly, they are making new promises. The President tries to portray the image of a no-nonsense person but immediately after awarding himself and Ministers a huge salary increase, my confidence for them diminished. After that, he attempted…
Read MoreThe Court cannot undo what the Constitution has done
Dear Editor, An online news agency has reported that the Guyana Government will ask the Caribbean Court of Justice (the Court) to rule that the Court cannot or should not direct that general elections are to be held within three months because that “will clearly be obstructing Parliament from exercising its constitutional power to extend the time if it becomes necessary to do so. The Court would be acting prematurely, and setting itself up for a clash with the Parliament”. With respect, one has to disagree with this sentiment. First…
Read MoreGuyana should allow the United Nations to manage the elections
Dear Editor, It does not appear that the two sides, President Granger and Opposition Leader Jagdeo, APNU/AFC and PPP, will reach an agreement (consensus) on appointing a GECOM Chair or set a firm timeline for elections. On June 18, the CCJ had urged the two sides to come to an agreement by June 24 on orders the court should issue and they failed to meet. On June 24, the court extended the deadline to July 1 (date for written submission of suggestions for consequential orders) and the sides still failed…
Read MoreCCJ must respond with specific timelines to stop this blatant bullying and illegality in Guyana
Dear Editor, With each passing day, the excessively vulgar behaviour of the now illegal Granger-led APNU/AFC clan is becoming more and more frontal in adding to Guyana’s constitutional crisis. In the face of amazed global and international observers, the cabal continues to demonstrate its lack of concern for the democratic observance and rights of the majority of the citizens while effectively defacing the nation’s image. The APNU/AFC coalition has taken to displaying a heightened pretence of concern while abusing the nation’s public purse. This is only because the Opposition Leader’s…
Read MoreTransactions conducted by APNU/AFC Govt null and void
Dear Editor, All major transactions conducted by this PNC-led coalition Government after the successful passage of the No-Confidence Motion are fraudulent and considered null and void. Even if those transactions were Cabinet decisions, they nonetheless constitute a fraud on this nation and I hasten to say all of those land deals will be at the investigation and recovery of the State Assets Recovery Agency. It is the mistaken belief in some quarters that because these are Cabinet decisions those land deals are binding on succeeding governments. Well, they are ever…
Read MoreGovernment Ministers in Guyana should be reprimanded for ‘idiotic’ statement on CCJ
Dear Editor, Two Government Ministers were reported to have said that Guyana is a sovereign country (whatever that means) so the CCJ cannot instruct Guyana how to run its affairs (including holding elections or replacing the Chairman of GECOM). The Ministers are wrong and are on a war footing for which there is no justification. The statements were made out of complete ignorance. Although I am not a lawyer, I am versed in constitutional matters and the concept of sovereignty. When I was doing doctoral studies in political science, my…
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