Those who now condemn the Western Diplomats do so to protect their own self-interest

Dear Editor,

Democracy cannot flourish in a lawless climate. No democratic nation today can act in a manner that irresponsibly flouts the rule of law, international norms and conventions without the risk of attracting international condemnation.
Constitutional rule of law, democracy, peace, stability and human rights are all universal values which are considered outside the usual interpretation of interference in the internal affairs of a host country.

When there is an imminent threat, the International community is expected to hold governments who act with impunity, accountable for the preservation of those universal values mentioned above.

In 1999, five years after 800,000 people were brutally murdered in what is known as the Rwandan genocide, the African Union adopted the Charter of Non-Indifference to deal with rogue governments, when those cardinal principles are violated. And so, although the world is a lot safer, there are still those who feel they are above the law and act as though they are untouchables.

I welcome the joint communiqué by the American Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, the UK High Commissioner, Greg Quinn and the European Union Ambassador to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Cantó, that called upon the now illegal President to “set an elections date immediately in full compliance with Guyana’s constitution.”

I am also pleased with the statement issued by the Commonwealth Secretary General, Patricia Scotland, urging “the President of Guyana and all relevant stakeholders and institutions to restore constitutional rule in Guyana by immediately setting an early election date in consonance with its constitution, enabling elections to be held without further delay.”

Strong statements of condemnation also came from the Private Sector Commission; the Bar Association; the religious community; the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI); the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham); the Central Islamic Organisation and others, including editorials in two daily newspapers.
I wish to thank them all for their courage and the principled position they took.

When a country signs on to United Nations conventions that guarantee peace, stability and human rights, they give up the right to complain of interference, when they themselves are guilty of abusing these issues. Now that Granger is in breach of the constitution, he expects the Diplomatic Corps and civil society to remain silent.

And while most Guyanese became fed-up and out of patience with the arrogance and stubbornness of the illegal President to definitively call a date for elections, the deafening silence of some diplomats, organizations, and most specifically CARICOM leaders, has been very worrying.

But as can be expected, not everyone is ready to abandon the sinking ship. There are still a few PNC/APNU+AFC apologists on board who would do or say anything to protect their personal interests, even to the point of shamelessly attacking the Western Diplomats for doing the right thing.

None of these hypocrites have had the courage to condemn David Granger for being duplicitous when in 2014, he called upon the same Diplomatic Corps to impose sanctions on the Ramotar government after he prorogued Parliament.

Granger knew then the correct interpretation of Articles 106(6) and 106(7) of our Constitution and the consequences that flow from the successful passage of a confidence vote. But now the shoe is on the other foot, he conveniently gets amnesia and misrepresents its clear, unambiguous meaning.

Those who now shamelessly protect the Usurper-in-Chief do so to protect their own self-interest. As major beneficiaries of this illegal government, they will continue to ignore Granger’s defiance and will vilify anyone who condemns him for violating the constitution.

I refer to the PNC/APNU propagandists, who should all have their visas and permanent residence status revoked immediately by the US Embassy.

After the 2015 general and regional elections, it was rumored that the ABCE countries had so wanted to see the backs of the PPP/C that they had guaranteed the APNU+AFC another five years in government. This message was propagated to party supporters by Congress Place to dispel fears of them losing the general elections in much the same way they had lost heavily to the PPP/C in the Local Government Elections of 2016 and 2018.

Now that the lie has been dispelled by the joint statement from the ABE countries, they are being vilified as conspirators, carrying out the dictates of the Opposition. While it’s true that these Diplomats have their own agenda, high on their list of priority remains the cultivation and protection of democracy and human rights. No civilized democracy will ever abandon those noble goals.

Harry Gill
PPP/C Member of Parliament