Alexander continues to bury his head in the sand

Dear Editor, GECOM Commissioner Mr. Vincent Alexander has tried, without success, to refute what I said in a previous commentary. The Commissioner claimed, rather cynically, that I “embrace double standards aimed at serving my purpose.”

As is the norm, Mr. Alexander’s views and conclusions in respect to what he considers “the illicit creation of a post and an irregular appointment to that post” at GECOM are not only misinformed, but woefully misplaced.

In his letter, Mr Alexander sought to link to the situation currently at hand, and at the same time justify, a misdeed carried out under his watch in 2014. In case he missed it, Mr. Alexander failed to realise that the misdeed he was party to, and the one he now claims to be ultra vires nine years after, places him in the realm of hypocrisy and practitioner of the same double standards he accuses others of practising.

In retrospect, the self-serving double standard of which Mr Alexander is unquestionably guilty is perhaps an extension of the uncivil behaviour that was displayed by his comrades at the Ashmins Building at Hadfield and High streets, Georgetown on Thursday, March 5th, 2020.

The stand Mr Alexander has adopted now in relation to the matter currently under consideration at GECOM is precisely the stand he should have adopted at the time when he sat approvingly in support of the misdeed committed at GECOM in August of 2014.

Minutes of a GECOM meeting held in August 2014 show that Mr Alexander was totally involved in the discussions which led to Vishnu Persaud being shortlisted for interviews for the position of DCEO. The professed Mr. ‘Clean’ Alexander did not oppose Persaud’s candidacy for the position then. However, subsequently, he foolishly chose to oppose Persaud’s candidacy, which cost him a substantial sum of money. Apparently, he has not learnt that overreaching comes at a cost.

Mr Alexander purposely overlooks the point that Persaud’s rival was given an unfair advantage when appointed to act as Voter Registration Manager (VRM). It was on the basis of that unfair advantage that the much-favoured individual was confirmed in the position, since she was seen as the ‘only one with the required experience.’

It is quite obvious to many that all the noise being orchestrated by Alexander and company on this matter is aimed at achieving a specific objective with another of their favoured candidates in mind to fill the vacancy for a substantive DCEO.

From all he has written, it is clear that Mr Alexander represents those who (often vehemently) profess to be supportive of transparency and accountability, but simultaneously consider them useless in pursuit of their partisan political and anti-democratic objectives.

And just in case Mr Alexander is not aware of it, Guyanese who uphold the fundamental tenets of a modern democracy, including transparency and accountability, far outnumber those who choose to engage in illicit activities aimed at thwarting the will of the people. The Latin name for humans is Homo sapiens, which means, “man intelligent.” Since this may not be an appropriate appellation for Mr Alexander, we might instead refer him as “Homo struthio,” the Latin for “man ostrich.”

My point here is not to get personal, but to point out that there are in our midst individuals like Mr Alexander, who are so insulated in their thinking that they tend to assume that anything or anyone outside their political/ideological universe is suspect, if not downright undesirable. This is precisely Alexander’s disposition in respect to the matter currently under consideration at the Commission.

Experience teaches that whenever individuals adopt a stubborn stand against a particular matter, it’s probably because they simply do not want to confront the facts. As a result, these individuals are likely to find themselves facing similar situations in future.

Mr Alexander refuses to admit that his views are misplaced and the position he has adopted on the matter at GECOM is extremely foolish and shortsighted. His escape route is to justify his action by discrediting the solution.

The bulk of Mr Alexander’s response to my missive I consider as fluff and the regurgitation of his opinion, to which he is entitled, but he must bear in mind that “no man has a right to be wrong in his facts.”

As for his performance as a PNC representative on GECOM, most persons do not appreciate his obstructionist approach to the work of the Commission. The negativity of Alexander suggested a tacit role as part of the cabal that witnessed the PNC’s desperate effort to rig the 2020 National and Regional Elections. As he boasts of being the longest-serving commissioner, his overzealous and conveniently biased disposition has been uncompromising in diminishing GECOM’s neutral mandate and goals, unless it benefits the PNC.

The fact is that GECOM must be able to produce free and fair elections, hence all the rogue elements must be removed. Consequently, GECOM must produce a list of its staff strength. Those that were involved in the skullduggery on the East Coast of Demerara, who cannot give an explanation of what took place concerning documents that were not in the ‘boxes’, must face the consequences.

Guyanese must not accept the clandestine cleaning of the computers and no trace of the records at GECOM. The gerrymandering and changing of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council boundaries in 2016 and 2018 was done without any consultation with the PPP/C or any other civic group. Efforts by persons to frustrate the holding of LGEs must stop. The ludicrous concoctions and conflict from the likes of Vincent Alexander cannot be condoned in the search for justice and the building of democracy.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

As regards my “warped experiential background”, I would like Mr Alexander to consider his judgmental assessment in relation to his association with a party that, time and again, either wholly or partially, sought to deprive Guyanese of their right to elect a Government of their choice. Mr Alexander can do nothing but live with that badge of dishonour forever and ever, Amen.

Sincerely, Clement Rohee