April 26 2020
By Adam Harris
Persistence is a virtue. It is so when someone insists of getting something. Sometimes the persistent person can be a nuisance but then again, there is a saying that what is worth having is worth pursuing.
Capt. Gerry Gouveia is a very persistent person. In the process he has changed the way people view the Private Sector Commission. This was supposed to be an apolitical organisation. I have been at forums where the chairpersons of the Private Sector Commission pledged to serve the government of the day.
The result was that whoever was leading the country would be invited to address events like the Annual Awards. Political loyalties had nothing to do with the invitation. More recently, though, the Private Sector Commission appears to have taken on an advocacy role. This body applied for and was granted observer status for the March 2, 2020 elections. It was the same thing in 2015. With the other observer missions it visited polling districts and polling stations to ascertain the proper conduct of the elections.
This year, he flew the diplomats from the United States Embassy, the British High Commission, the Canadian High Commission and the European Union around the country to locations that are somewhat remote. The fact that the final count has been mired in controversy has not escaped notice. In the past, when challenges were raised the Chief Elections Officer would direct people to the courts by way of an elections petition.
Doodnauth Singh, who was the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission, did just that. On one occasion when he was asked about the ballots for polling stations right in the city being among the last to arrive at GECOM headquarters he made light of the issue. He simply said that the ‘runners’ (the people bringing the statements of poll) must have gone to the Olympics. When the opposition-elected members of the commission challenged certain counts, Gocool Boodoo, the Chief Elections Officer, merely told the objectors that they can go to the courts by way of an elections petition.
The volume of irregularities that surfaced in the 1997 elections did not stop GECOM from bulldozing ahead with a declaration and even a secret swearing of the President, Ms. Janet Jagan. Those elections were vitiated. For ruling against the government the Bharrat Jagdeo-led government removed Justice Claudette Singh from the judicial line up. She was to become Chief Justice when Justice Cecil Kennard retired and Justice Desiree Bernard became Chancellor but she was ignored. Jagdeo moved her aside and made Justice Carl Singh the Chief Justice.
He tried to placate both Justice Claudette Singh and those who questioned the sidelining to say that the judge would not lose status, and that she would receive the same pay as Justice Carl Singh. We know that Carl Singh went on to perform the duties of Chancellor and Justice Claudette Singh later went on to become Police Legal Adviser.
Ironically, the very judge, Claudette Singh, who vitiated those 1997elections is now the Chairperson of GECOM. She is being attacked to the point that threats have been made against her life. When Commissioners suggest that the protests should come by way of an elections petition these suggestions were ignored.
Vocal diplomatic corps
Meanwhile, for the first time I saw the international community being very vocal in their protest of the vote count. The community talked about sanctions and non-recognition of a government sworn in on those results. History had been created. The international community took over the control of the elections and sought to dictate terms and conditions.
Capt. Gerry Gouveia was among the most vocal. He used his Private Sector Commission to send messages internationally, protesting the conduct of the District Four count. Those protests should have been over when President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo decided that there should be a total recount of all the votes. The courts supported the decision and GECOM decided to move ahead with a total recount.
One would have expected that that was the end of the controversy. Far from it. Gerry Gouveia continued his campaign for a recount of the District Four votes. GECOM had moved past that but not Gouveia. He claimed that there were no problems in the other electoral districts. But there were. Representatives of the coalition attempted to get recounts but were bluntly denied. They were advised to get into the ballot boxes by way of an elections petition. The deck was stacked against them.
Gouveia and some others, including Nigel Hinds, an economist, began to lobby for the District Four ballots to be counted simultaneously with the others. Instead of allowing GECOM to proceed in a manner that would satisfy every elector, including those carping for a District Four recount.
There will be a District Four recount when the time comes. But before that there will be a recount of other electoral districts. Only recently I learnt why Gouveia is so persistent in trying to have the other ballot boxes remain closed from public scrutiny. He needs the People’s Progressive Party in office. The Guyana Revenue Authority has him in court for some $350 million. This was money collected when Dynamic Airways was operating in Guyana. The sale of tickets attracted a value added tax. That was money due to the government coffers. It turned that Mr. Gouveia never paid over that money.
Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Godfrey Statia, entered into an arrangement with Mr. Gouveia for payment. If my information is correct, GRA gave Gerry Gouveia just over a year to pay. When nothing happened GRA moved to the courts and secured a decision. Mr. Gouveia has appealed that decision.
I am now wondering whether his fanatical support for the PPP using the Private Sector Commission is because with a PPP victory that money, all $350 million, would not have to be paid. There is also a court matter that was investigated by retired Crime Chief Alvin Smith. Mr. Gouveia and a Vieira were involved. It involved a Skyvan. Desmond Hoyte was President. That matter, too, has not been disposed of. Alvin Smith may have retired and Desmond Hoyte may be dead but the records are still there.
