Regular and casual undermining of Guyana’s democratic norms and ideals has become a prominent feature of life under APNU+AFC. The ABCE Diplomatic Corp has always insisted that supporting and promoting democratic norms and ideals are indispensible part of their mission in Guyana. We, therefore, expect them to stand and speak up without fear or favor whenever democracy is threatened in Guyana. The ABCE Diplomats, however, appear to be in an unholy, OILY, acquiescence with dictatorship in Guyana. They have never been shy in engaging in National issues. Why now? Is their silence reflective of their countries policies for Guyana?

People have noticed that the ABCE diplomats have gone silent over this issue. Cat got their tongues? President Granger is guilty of constitutional malpractice when he unilaterally appointed James Patterson as the Chairman of GECOM. Apart from Justice Patterson clearly not a “fit and proper” person within the parameters established by Granger himself, the President’s action is outside of the letter and spirit of the law. The President’s action is totally inconsistent with the appointment of the chair of GECOM since 1992. Since 1992, the appointment of the Chairman has been in accordance with a consensus political arrangement which became enshrined in the constitution of Guyana.

The President’s malpractice is an issue that demands the attention of all stakeholders, including the attention of the ABCE Diplomats. The American Ambassador has never been shy in being embroiled in such discourses, but his silence is now deafening. Just two weeks ago he pronounced there is no crisis in the delayed appointment of the GECOM Chair and it is understandable that the process is taking time since the President is adhering to constitutional requirements. He has suddenly decided he will not comment on the unilateral appointment of the GECOM Chair. The Canadian High Commissioner insists that she will not comment on this matter. The British High Commissioner copped out by insisting that he will await the decision of the court. He said this even before the PPP applied to the court. In effect they have given a pass to Granger and APNU+AFC. Their silence is permitting Guyana to drift deeper into dictatorship, ignoring at Guyana’s peril, the saundering impact of this polarizing decision by Granger.

Suddenly these diplomats have imposed on themselves limits governing their engagement in national issues, limits they seemingly alter at their whims and fancies. Their modus operandi has changed from political antagonism to political obeisance. How come they were so obsessed with all actions of the government before 2015 when they questioned the PPP’s faithfulness to the constitution and self-righteously questioned the PPP’s adherence to accountability and transparency? What has changed? Is it that they no longer care about a government being guided by the constitution? Is it that accountability and transparency no longer matters to them? Maybe it is that APNU+AFC is a more pliant client and/or maybe it is that Guyana has become a part of the OIL power in the world.

The ABCE diplomats were overtly robust in national political discourse pre-2015. They pronounced daily and, often, their pronouncements were in condemnation of the PPP. There were almost daily pronouncements from one or more of the ABCE diplomats during that time and most of the pronouncements were sympathetic to the positions taken by the then Opposition parties, mainly the PNC and the AFC before 2011 and APNU+AFC since 2011. During that time, the ABCE Diplomatic Corp was increasingly bellicose in national affairs and increasingly partial, supporting the positions taken by the then opposition. Pre-2015 election the EU delayed disbursements of the sugar protocol moneies, amounting to more than $5B. Their behavior then caused a suspicion that the ABC Diplomatic Corp had become a part of an unholy conspiracy for regime change in Guyana.

Given the history of massively rigged elections between 1968 and 1985 in Guyana, and given the history of dictatorship between 1968 and 1992, the expectation is that the ABC Diplomats will adopt a no-nonsense, non-negotiable posture that rejects political interference and rigged elections. The ABCE countries themselves have ample evidence and have stoutly dubbed all elections since 1968 to 1985 as massively rigged. These include elections in 1968, 1973, 1980 and 1985 and a National Referendum in 1978. That is five massively rigged elections. There is the question also of what transpired in 2015. There is suspicion that there were interference in the 2015 elections to favor APNU+AFC, and that some of the interference was supported by the ABCE Diplomatic Corp.

The election machinery is seriously compromised with the unilateral and partisan appointment of a person who is not “fit and proper” to occupy the position as Chair of GECOM. This assault on Guyana’s democracy demands the voice of the ABCE Diplomatic Corp. Their silence is tacit acquiescence with a rogue action by a government that is increasingly expanding their rogue credentials. At a time when all stakeholders must be vigilant and insist on accountability and transparency and an electoral system that is optimally rig-proof, the ABCE Diplomats have gone into hibernation. Sadly, our politics require an unbiased ABCE Diplomatic Corp as part of the stakeholder coalition to ensure the efficacy of the electoral system.

Guyana’s democracy is not merely under threat, it has been abrogated. Much blood and sacrifice contributed to Guyana joining the family of democratic nations in 1992. The dictatorship that Guyana endured for almost three decades was initially sponsored by the ABCE countries before national solidarity shamed the ABCE countries to play a pivotal role in the restoration of democracy in 1992. But the ABCE countries are now comfortable in allowing Guyana to drift back into dictatorship. In the 1960s, the ABCE countries excuse was that it was to stop communism. Their evident aiding and abetting the drift back into dictatorship today is clearly motivated by greed – access to Guyana’s OIL.

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy