Seaga (left) and Hoyte
Rickey Singh, Contributor
THE opposition leaders of Jamaica (Edward Seaga) and Guyana (Desmond Hoyte) are once again doing what they seem to like best when out of power - indulge in threats of political destabilisation.
Last weekend in Kingston, Mr. Seaga, apparently re-energised by his overwhelming defeat of a challenge to his leadership of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), was threatening massive street protests of the dreaded scale experienced during the political turmoil of the 1970s.
That is, unless he is consulted and there is prior agreement on the three new independent members of the country's Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) following the failure of his JLP and the People's National Party (PNP) to reach consensus on the issue.
The EAC, like the Guyana Elections Commission, has responsibility for the conduct of national elections. Mr. Seaga, like Hoyte, has not been at ease for any significant period since his party's defeat at the last general election.
Appointments of independent members to the EAC are made by Governor-General, Sir Howard Cooke, who must consult with both the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader. The question is whether the threat of massive protests is directed at the Governor-General or the PNP administration.
Jamaica's Seaga
Mr. Seaga's latest threat of political disturbance had, significantly, followed his meeting with the Governor-General. Prime Minister P. J. Patterson learnt about what his chief opponent had in mind while he was in Barbados presiding at a CARICOM Prime Ministerial sub-committee meeting on external trade and economic negotiations.
"Anything less than our approval (of the three independent members of the EAC)", Mr. Seaga thundered at the JLP's 57th annual conference, "I can promise, will meet the most massive protests Jamaica has seen since the 1970s. We will not allow another corrupt election..."
Mr. Patterson was not amused when I spoke with him in Barbados. "Is he threatening the Governor-General and people of Jamaica? He cannot be threatening me and my Government. The appointments are made by the Governor-General and both sides have to be consulted. As far as I am aware consultation is still taking place," declared Mr. Patterson.
Mr. Seaga, 70, a former Prime Minister, has lost the last three elections into which he led the JLP that currently holds 10 to the PNP's 50 of the 60 parliamentary seats.
Elections in Jamaica are due by December 2002, having taken place three days after Guyana's December 15, 1997 elections which were won by the incumbent People's Progressive Party (PPP).
Guyana's Hoyte
Last week in Guyana, the 72-year-old Desmond Hoyte, leader of the main opposition People's National Congress (PNC) and a former President of the country who has led his party into two unsuccessful general elections - 1992 and 1997 - was again threatening the existence of the PPP/Civic administration.
His brand of destabilisation politics has become a trademark that those hoping to succeed him would gladly wish to discard.
Mr. Hoyte's political beef this time? The tenure of the Government should end on January 17, 2001, in accordance with the CARICOM-brokered "Herdmanston Accord" that had proposed fresh elections by that date, with the Government agreeing to cut two years off its five-year term.
The Accord, signed at "Herdmanston House" in Georgetown on January 17, 1998, followed the political disturbances in Georgetown, organised by the PNC, to protest the results of the 1977 elections.
Audited Votes
The PPC/Civic was returned to power with 36 of the 65 parliamentary seats and some 55 per cent of the valid votes. A CARICOM Audit Commission, headed by retired Trinidadian jurist, Sir Ulric Cross, had found that the recount of the ballots "varied only marginally from that of the final results declared by the Chief Elections Officer".
The summary of the Commission's findings also stated that "Examination of 1843 boxes of ballots cast in all ten (electoral) regions did not reveal any fraudulent ballots. The secret code was evident in all ballots scrutinised".
But the PNC leader was to refuse to abide by the Commission's findings and continued behaving as if the Government was illegitimate. This being the same Government that had to enact unprecedented legislation to facilitate the PNC taking up its 25 parliamentary seats that it had lost by a six-month boycott of Parliament.
Mr. Hoyte met with the press last week against the background of expressed difficulties by the Guyana Elections Commission (GEC) to meet the January 17, 2001 deadline, with thousands of electors still to be photographed for voter ID and delay in passage of relevant electoral laws including the allocation of seats for the respective regions.
His message? "The election date of January 17, 2001 and the tenure of the Government has been cast in stone", he said, "and what is happening now is a new ball game. As it now stands the (PPP/Civic) has two months to come to the table of public opinion to tell the people what they propose..."
Elections Commission
The Chairman of the Elections Commission, retired Brigadier General of the Guyana Defence Force, Joe Singh, who has written to the political parties outlining the problems in meeting the deadline, has said that the question of a Government functioning after January 17, 2001, was a matter for the nation's Parliament and not the Commission.
Senior counsel and PPP representative on the bi-partisan Elections Commission, Ralph Ramkarran, has explained that while the signatory parties to the "Herdmanston Accord" had an obligation to honour the provisions of the Accord, "it should be evident that the Accord is not law", and no constitutional provisions would be violated if the January 17 date could not be met, despite the best efforts of the Elections Commission.
The local media have reported on the possibility of no more than a delay of a matter of weeks for the elections that must be held before March 30 to avoid having to compile another eligible voters register.
The Government is on record as favouring the elections taking place on January 17, in accordance with the "Herdmanston Accord".
But, according to President Bharrat Jagdeo, the PPP/Civic administration would be prepared to be guided by the advice of the Elections Commission, while it continues to do everything possible to have the new elections on or shortly after the stipulated January 17 date.
Jagdeo, in an obvious reference to suggestions from some political quarters for a possible interim national Government from January 17 until new elections, has made it clear that the "legitimate Government" of the country, as freely elected on December 15, 1997, will continue in office until new elections.
Of concern to the business sector is the harm that could be done by any new political disturbances in the city and at a period when Guyanese are preparing for the Christmas season.
This sentiment seems applicable to Jamaica as well, and its capital Kingston in particular. Is either Mr. Seaga or Mr. Hoyte listening? Peace, not conflict, must be the key work.
