Lowenfield has a chance to rehabilitate himself

Dear Editor,

The world thinks unkindly of Keith Lowenfield viewing him as the obstacle to the conclusion of the election. His accurate report is holding up the declaration of the election. All that Lowenfield needs do is follow the law. Failing that, the consequences would be severe as there would be sanctions against the riggers.

The final acts to bring closure to the March 2 election depend on Chief Election Officer Lowenfield and the Chair Claudette Singh. The latter already accepts the Caricom monitored recount as the basis for the declaration. She has triggered the finality clause of the process instructing the CEO to prepare the ten matrixes for each region, a brief summary of the recount process, and conversion of seats for each region as well as the national assembly. These would then form the basis for a declaration by the chair and the swearing in of the President by the Chancellor of the Judiciary. He must act professionally independent of any influence from a party. The problem is so far since March 3 he has failed to carry out his responsibilities according to the constitution and electoral law. Lowenfield has no choice with the CCJ pronouncement on June 8 but to follow the law relating to the declaration of the outcome of the elections. The critical question that Guyanese in the diaspora and at home are asking is whether he would follow the law.

Since March 3, Lowenfield has been viewed as contaminating the process and a participant in electoral fraud. He has sided with a party. He now has a chance to rehabilitate his image, retrieve the situation. Will he grab the lifeline to be a champion of free and fair elections or will he go down in history as the person who was an architect of electoral fraud?

The CCJ, Guyana’s highest court, explicitly and sternly pronounced on what Lowenfield must do with clear and specific instructions: prepare the declaration report based on the recount and not to nullify any vote. And he must do it expeditiously. He must do the honorable thing. He has no escape path. He is facing three sets of criminal charges for fraud and if he defies GECOM, he would be charged for insubordination and dismissed. Worse, he would be brought up on contempt charges for defying the ruling of the CCJ. In addition, he would face sanctions (visa cancellations) from the ABCE countries. It is in his interest to do the right thing to bring the process to closure.

To bring an end to criminal charges, protect his job, and avoid jail for contempt of court, Lowenfield must do the honorable thing and prepare the election report based on the recount vote. It is also the moral and democratic thing to do. People around the region, the world, are laughing at Guyana for an inconclusive election stymied by what they call the Lowenfield Fraud.

In an election, one side wins and it may not always be the side one favors. But one cannot prolong the process when one’s side loses. Lowenfield must be mature enough to accept that his favored side lost and it is time to chuck in the towel. His job would be completed and he would be rendered safe from charges. His tarnished reputation would be rehabilitated.

Let the chair take the issue from there to bring closure. It is her call to make. Guyanese are embarrassed by the behaviour of Lowenfield, and they and people around the globe are appealing to him to act decently — follow the law and execute the CCJ ruling by preparing the correct report for Gecom to use for the declaration. This act will bring closure to the election and allow the country to move on. And it will also allow him to retrieve a sense of decency.

Yours truly,
Dr. Vishnu Bisram