Elections petition must be viewed dispassionately - Doodnauth Singh Stabroek News June 2, 2000 The elections petition heard yesterday of the CARICOM Audit Commission's (CAC) "concern for the depths of suspicion that can divide a nation." In his fifth day of closing arguments, Senior Counsel Doodnauth Singh representing Chief Election Officer Stanley Singh, lamented the emotion surrounding the case: "Observers must view the elections petition dispassionately, without the bias of race and party affiliation." He referred to the court spectators who were down to only three yesterday, and noted that "Everyday I leave this court I am subjected to abuse and threats. Everyday! Death is not enough for me!" Doodnauth Singh stressed that "votes are at the centre of an election and it is votes that determined the will of the electorate, not any flaw or mistake of an official." And he cited the CAC's findings that any mistakes in counting did not favour any one side. In fact the recount of the CAC varied "not even marginally" with the CEO's declaration. The PNC gained 79 more votes and the PPP 314. He lashed out at the accusations in court put to Joseph Farrier, former secretary of the CAC, who appeared in court willingly to testify despite diplomatic immunity. "That is what you get for serving Guyana... these people are shameless!" As for the voter identification cards it was absurd for the petitioner to claim it was unconstitutional when the issue had been voted on by all parliamentary members. "They conveniently extract one sentence [on page 29] out of the report and ask you to look at it. I submit that this cannot be seen in isolation." He read further from the CAC report which observed that election day was well organised and peaceful--much like an old-fashioned Good Friday. "How could grand conspiracies and irregularities be happening on such a Holy Day?" Singh asked derisively. The verification process was aborted simply because the results were going against the interests of the PNC, he said. "If you are losing you must walk out!" If the verification process had been completed, Singh argued, the country would not have had the riots, the audit and the CARICOM-brokered Herdmanston Accord. Court will resume on Monday. Follow the goings-on in Guyana in Guyana Today