A New York court trial torments the power elites in Guyana

Aug 02, 2009 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

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The United States has two life-threatening problems – ongoing terrorism troubles and an endemic narcotics disease. Both of these social pathologies have made the US a highly security conscious nation.
The United States has ultra-modern machines that relate to security. It also has an ultra-meticulous documentation system out of which a fantastic paper trail is easily accessible to state security personnel. If an American firm is going to export a sophisticated piece of equipment that is only sold to governments and not private individuals and private companies, that exporter will insist on water-proof documentation.

That state-of-the-art equipment can be procured by a terrorist group or narcotic traffickers. In fact, it did in the case of Guyana where a confessed drug trafficker, Roger Khan, possessed the item. My point is that the exporter of such stuff is not going to respond to a letter written by a man named John Jones who says he is acting on behalf of the Government of Brownville. There will be meticulous checks that will involve a mountain of inquiries by the makers of the security apparatus.

I am contending that the equipment that was purchased by the Government of Guyana as stated by the firm, Smith Myers would not have been sold unless Smyth Myers got permission from an American state agency that deals with security matters and were in contact with officials from the Government of Guyana.
The leading officials of the Government of Guyana could offer all the silly excuses they want to, the fact is that the Government of Guyana is on trial in New York and the Caribbean is watching. Here is a case where a security apparatus purchased by the Government of Guyana (why would the CEO of Smyth Myers lie on this score?) was handed over to a man who, at the time was one of the Caribbean’s largest shippers of cocaine to the US.
The seniors in Guyana Government had to know that they were in an arrangement with a narco-trafficker. Should this not be serious enough to demand the Government resign? Matters are getting out of hand. As the denials pour in from the Government side, the evidence is pouring in that Roger Khan had a relationship with officials of the Guyana Government.
Perversities like these bring down governments all the time.

As the Guyanese people watch the implosion inside the Government, their eyes are on all the major stakeholders. What more evidence does the business community, civil society and the churches need about this sordid episode that has no parallel in the English-speaking Caribbean?
Should stakeholders accept and relate to a government that the US Justice Department through the court system has proven had an intricate relationship with a dangerous drug baron?
Even if you question Selwyn Vaughn’s testimony (I certainly don’t if you would like to have my opinion), then why would the CEO of Smyth Myers want to frame Dr. Ramsammy? Why would he want to implicate the Guyana Government? Who is so shamelessly stupid (I am referring to independently minded people) to dismiss Vaughn and the CEO of Smyth Myers as liars.

If you do, then most of the court cases in the world involving wire-tapping should be thrown out. Most of the court cases in the world involving testimony from witnesses should be thrown out.
It is difficult to see how the Guyana Government can extricate itself from this drowning pool. Here is the greatest opportunity the combined opposition has had since the PPP came to power to push for the first Velvet Revolution in the English-speaking Caribbean The future of the major opposition parties is in deep jeopardy if they fail to press their case among Caricom leaders, the OAS, the Canadian, British and American Governments for an examination of the nature of the Government in this land.

Most of all, the Guyanese people are looking towards all opposition parties and concerned civil society groups for demonstrative action against this rising tide of horror politics now unfolding in this tragic nation.
The opposition has to understand that it is on probation. With an election campaign just months away (it will begin in the early days of 2010), a majority of Guyanese are watching to see how it will confront the Government on the evidence that has come to light in a New York court room that paints the Guyana Government in terrible and horrible ways.
Why vote for a party that cannot prove that it is a formidable challenger. The right start has begun with the boycott of Parliament. The major stakeholders have to join the opposition organization and push for that dream of a Velvet Revolution.

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