Dear Editor,
I recognize a work of sublime art. I look upon it as the handiwork of the mysteries of man’s mind, magical minds many times resplendent in the majesty of its mesmerizing and incomprehensible madness. The Lowenfield Report rises beyond all of that paltry homage, as I detect the power of incomparable innovative impulses with the incredible now sweeping all who dare to stand before it in objection and resistance.
In this parchment to power, I behold the snatching of victory from the jaws of certain defeat. From my perspective, in one desultory mid-Saturday afternoon, Mr. Lowenfield, in one fell swoop, rewrote the future of governance in Guyana from the sordid dregs of the electoral present. What a boon he has made to the nation! His critics will say: it is to the coalition alone, stupid.
For what this report of Mr. Lowenfield did was several things. First, it justifies his initial controversial and sensitive presence in the capacity from which he serves; the man has proven his weight in gold (or votes); take a pick. Second, unwittingly, or deliberately-definitely biasedly and blindly-he has offered a way out of the clinging unreleasing quagmire, where nobody wins, yet everybody just did. Because, third, what he did was rebalance the narrative and present the coalition with the anchor, which it has long insisted was its property to hold on to and stabilize its severely leaking and listing ship. And fourth, it gives the international community the electoral equivalent of nolo contendere, from which to retreat, save face, and rework the difference.
As I am sifting through this with openmouthed amazement, I hear the first screaming about authority and overreach. That may be so, but he has placed the commission of one (the reflexive deadlock makes only the chairwoman of consequence) in a bind. How can she go against the judgement of the inhouse professionals, as buttressed by the “evidence” as seen and deciphered and the conclusions reached by them? As to what kind of professionals they are, that is best left to the media warriors. But if she goes against, the coalition leader will have no choice but to disown any declaration. Should she go for the report, then the opposition will scream louder about the law, but this is not a legal matter; it is a political problem powered by grinding racial wheels. Until and unless we humble ourselves and enlighten ourselves to this condemning reality, then the outcome is sure to be the ceaseless rotation of the wheels of a machine, the wheels which claw on air. Plenty of noise, lots of revving, no movement.
The opposition can only marshal to the media and nothing else, but the weight of its political and partisan opinion. It, too, is in a bind since I suspect that both the foreigners and the CCJ have had enough of us Guyanese. Still the rages have swarmed forth since Mr. Lowenfield reported to the chair. Such is the distillation of the ancient saga of Guyana, when one side rejoices, the other curses. In all of this, I think that the Great Lowenfield Conspiracy (or Robbery) has just neutralized the vociferous foreign contingent of observers, the omniscient and ever-involved plenipotentiaries, and the media tribunals made possible by marvelous technology.
This report will be railed against and debated forever all the way past our children’s children in the greyness of their hairs and years. This is only the beginning, but Mr. Lowenfield has indelibly etched his name in alternately calumny and sanctity; the judges of this peculiar Guyanese beauty contest will decide. But in one stroke, Mr. Lowenfield has demonstrated the rare agility that 3-card sharpies would laud; his work, when made fully public is sure to be a masterpiece of creative genius. As much as I wish, I can neither laugh nor cry.
I am relieved. For this gives our selfish and calculating politicians (all of them) opportunity to pause and peer into the true state of the national house. We are on too much of a “high” to come down without danger or without agony. Hence, leaders -all citizens, too- should appreciate what we lack, and the catastrophic circumstances with which we bargain, but cannot afford the prices. We have no more road left.
From these ashes, the beaten down, but still unconquered chairwoman, could still stir and have the last laugh: no contest. Like I said, this just may be the way out of the intractable and insoluble. That is, to the table, the political tango reduced and confined to the two leading men only. Find it, fix it, share it. It is from the table to the drawing board and the temporary governance blueprint needed.
Unlike Dr. Rowley I hope that all ends well. What will it be? National? Inclusive? Shared? Anyone? See! I have already made my own declaration. This is where I stand, so help me God! Remember, too, that mine is neither political nor earthly.
Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall
