Dear Editor,
When President Ramotar announced on December 6, 2014, that elections will be held early in the new year, many Guyanese were justifiably sceptical. His announcement, many believed was without substance; it was intended to placate a populace tired of the PPP’s authoritarian shenanigans. Editor, it appears that the President’s more recent announcement of an election date – May 11 – may be more of the same. All things considered, one wonders if the President was serious, or if he was just ‘gaffing’?
It has been noted that the May 11 date, announced via a television address, has no legal effect. Article 61 of the constitution stipulates that the President dissolve parliament by proclamation, thereby triggering the legal requirement for elections within three months. The President has, to date, issued no such proclamation. Therefore, as it is, legally, nothing has changed since the President prorogued parliament by legal proclamation on November 11, 2014. The President, since then, has done nothing to change Guyana’s status; parliament remains suspended, and the PPP continues to rule autocratically. The President’s two announcements – promising to hold elections in early 2015, and now, a May 11 date – are nothing but words without substance; empty promises without any legal weight whatsoever.
It has been noted too, that schools will be unavailable to be used as polling places on May 11. Students will be in those schools, poring over their CSEC exam papers. Since schools have traditionally been used as places of poll, where then, does the President propose that Guyanese go to cast their ballot? One wonders, from where did President Ramotar pull the May 11 date?
It has been said repeatedly; the PPP will not easily give up its hold on power. Many PPP officials have too much to lose. And holding elections exposes them to that risk of loss. They will, therefore, do anything and everything to keep the day of reckoning at bay. Making empty promises is nothing new to the PPP. And it appears that the ruling clique are now using their patented empty rhetoric to keep the people docile, while officials continue to trample on citizens’ constitutional rights.
Guyanese have had enough of the PPP’s abuse of the offices to which we, the citizens, have given them the keys. The people will not be fooled. We have heard enough empty words. We have had enough of their mismanagement, incompetence, and downright impropriety. We will not be slapped around by them any more. We refuse to be silenced, victimised, tortured, ignored and have our property looted and sold. Government officials occupy those offices at our behest. We, the citizens, are the bosses; they, the officials, work for us.
The President needs to heed the will of the majority. No more empty words and meaningless announcements. He needs to sign a proclamation to dissolve parliament, announce a proper date for elections, and then step aside so Guyanese can get on with the business of putting their lives back together after too many years of suffering.
Yours faithfully,
Mark DaCosta
