How the PNC rigged elections

– witness testifies to voting multiple times

The Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday heard how the party of the late Forbes Burnham allegedly practised  vote-rigging during elections, with a former executive of the People’s National Congress revealing that he and others were transported by bus to various polling stations to vote multiple times.

Joseph Hamilton, a former priest of the House of Israel- a notorious religious cult allegedly used by the PNC back in the 1980s to beat up political opponents-testified that the Government then had frequently been involved in rigged elections.

He said he could give evidence in this regard because he, along with other members of the House of Israel, were transported by bus to various polling stations around the country to vote, although they were legally required to do so only once. “The methodology of the PNC would make transportation available for persons involved in voting more than once”, he confirmed.

Asked if there was no distinguishing marking for persons who had already voted, Hamilton pointed out that that was not an issue since it was PNC members who were  managing the polling stations. Moreover, he confessed that the government was able to devise a plan to remove the stains from the voters’ fingers. He said too that he knew of persons who were not members of the House of Israel, who had also voted multiple times.

Under cross-examination, Hamilton spoke of the role of the military in the alleged rigging of elections, making reference to the 1973 elections when two protesters were killed in Corentyne during attempts by soldiers to steal ballot boxes.  It was on the evening of July 16, 1973 at the close of polling when members of the GDF stormed into the polling place and attempted to cart away ballot boxes to an undisclosed location. Scores of people, the vast majority of whom were known supporters of the PPP, had gathered in front of the polling station to protest against the removal of the ballot boxes by the military. The soldiers fired live bullets at the protesters, killing Bholanauth and Ramessar in the process.

Back then, the counting of ballots was not done at the place of poll as is currently the case. All the boxes were taken under military escort to a central polling place. It was reported back then that invariably, ballots cast in favour of the PPP were replaced and stuffed by ballots in favour of the PNC.  It was this knowledge and fear that the results of the elections would be changed in favour of the PNC that led to such large gatherings of people at polling stations at the end of polling. Under normal situations, eligible voters would cast their ballots and peacefully make their way home until the results were announced hours later.

Meanwhile, Hamilton also under cross-examination, agreed that the government of the day had perpetrated corruption by  giving  lands to the House of Israel organization; the abuse of the Judiciary; direct suppression by violent means; the advancing of the concept of Party Paramountcy; and the suppression and non-investigation  of serious crimes, including murder.

He spoke of the 1980 Constitution Referendum and the public outcry that prevailed. At that point WPA Lawyer Christopher Ram explained that the country was looking forward to the constitutionally due general election in 1978. However, the government using its power had decided that the country was going to go through a referendum instead. Hamilton recalled that a large percentage of the population had opposed the move and had become agitated, since according to them it was oppressive and dictatorial. “And so there was agitation from what was considered as civil society”.

Hoyte changed things

Hamilton also spoke about the change in leadership of the PNC at the death of Burnham, noting that his successor, Hugh Desmond Hoyte, had adopted a “no nonsense” approach to the House of Israel organisation, which according to him, had been weaned under the ruling government and had become “Burnham Church”, to many Guyanese, he noted.

He noted that President Hoyte, taking over the reins of leadership, had indicated that he was going to expunge all persons who were seriously affecting the development of democracy at the time.

It was under the Hoyte administration that Rabbi Washington was charged for his crimes, Hamilton related.