Based on the vote tally from the national recount of votes from the March 2 elections, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) yesterday urged caretaker president David Granger to initiate formal congratulatory messages to the winner, PPP/C presidential candidate Irfaan Ali, ahead of a formal declaration.
In a statement issued yesterday, the GCCI said it would be a good sign for the nation and for future generations to witness the first official round of congratulation for Ali coming from Granger, even without the formal declaration. “It shows patriotism and the spirit of unity defined by our National Motto, One People One Nation One Destiny,” it said.
According to the Chamber, Granger need not feel hurt as it pointed to Winston Churchill delivering a massive wartime victory to England but then losing to Clement Attlee in later elections. It also noted that when former US president George Bush lost to Bill Clinton in the 1992 presidential election, he conceded with the words: “I remain absolutely convinced that we are a rising nation. We have been in an extraordinarily difficult period, but do not be deterred, kept away from public service by the smoke and fire of a campaign year or the ugliness of politics. As for me, I’m going to serve and try to find ways to help people.”
The GCCI argued that the same could also be said of Guyana at this juncture in its history.
“As a major opposition in the Parliament, we expect the APNU+AFC to continue the fight, ensuring honesty, integrity and decency for the citizens in all the goings on of governing the country and holding the PPP/C accountable to delivering on campaign promises,” it said.
“In the end, however we expect unity, unity on major national issues such as our border controversy with Venezuela and unity with regards to the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. We expect unity in knowing that four months later after E-Day, it is time for the nation to move on and get on with the business of implementing policies that benefit the Guyanese people and that all starts with the outgoing President Granger’s congratulation of Dr. Irfaan Ali now,” it added. .
