BUXTON: Only one example of the PPP’s misguided policies and criminalisation

Sep 19, 2010 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

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CRIMINALISATION
Resorting to the usual PPP propaganda to divert attention from inept policies, both President Jagdeo and General Secretary Ramotar applied the time-worn PPP ploy of accusing opposition politicians of consorting with criminals at Buxton.
Guyanese who have witnessed the reign of terror that was unleashed on this nation by the phantom gangs, supported by the PPP Administration, find those assertions laughable. The former PPP Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj, speaking in the National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana on this matter stated, without remorse, “I would do it again.”
He was promptly promoted by President Jagdeo as Guyana’s High Commissioner to India for his involvement with the phantom squad after media exposure and the findings of the limited farcical public Inquiry.
With what moral authority, therefore, could the President and his General Secretary accuse persons of involvement with criminals?
EVIDENCE
Both Mr. Desmond Hoyte, whom Jagdeo similarly accused, and the present Opposition leader, Robert Corbin, called upon the President to publish his evidence. To date, after years of propaganda, nothing has been produced. On the contrary, there is abundant evidence before the Guyanese people and, indeed, the international community implicating President Jagdeo and his Cabinet. For example,
*The paid advertisement in the national newspapers by Roger Khan, that he worked closely with the security forces with the endorsement of the PPP, which has not, to date, been refuted;
*The evidence before the US Court, where Roger Khan admitted that he headed the phantom gang that was responsible for the deaths of over two hundred young people of Guyana;
* The confessions of George Bacchus who was also gunned down after his revelations of his, (Bacchus’), connection with Home Affairs Minister, Ronald Gajraj; ( A sworn Affidavit by George Bacchus and a video-taped interview by him were presented to the Commissioner of Police several years ago by Mr. Robert Corbin, and copies were recently presented by him to the Head of the special Investigative Task Force of the GPF, that was hurriedly announced after Roger Khan’s conviction and the public furore over PPP Minister of Health, Ramsammy’s involvement in the purchase of the spy-laptop computer.
Like other such PPP manoeuvres, this Task Force died a natural death once the media- hype was over.
* The published telephone records confirming telephone links between Home Affairs Minister Gajraj and some gunmen from the phantom squad;
* The 2005 US Department of State’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, published in March 2006, which announced that “Drug traffickers appear to be gaining a significant foothold in Guyana’s timber industry” and pointedly  accused the Guyana Forestry Commission of granting a State Forest Exploratory Permit for a large tract of land in Guyana’s interior to Aurelius Incorporated, a company controlled by known drug trafficker Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan.
The death of Minister “Sash” Sawh followed one month after, and, despite the gravity of the situation, where one of its own Minister’s was killed, the PPPC did not  hold an inquiry.
In addition, the very regime refused help from the Canadian government in investigating the “Sash” Sawh murders. Instead, they again used the occasion for political propaganda in the hope of  gaining political mileage against the opposition, particularly the PNCR.
It is significant that, years later, the Sawh family, staunch PPP supporters, still seek justice. The brother-in-law of  Minister “Sash” Sawh disbelieves the government story and seeks answers from Roger Khan.  Gradually the dots are being connected;
* The purchase of a laptop spy computer which could only be purchased with Government approval. The sworn evidence of the manufacturers and their agent, in the Robert Simmels’ Trial in New York, revealed that the purchase was authorised by a letter purportedly signed by a PPP Government Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy;
* The disbandment of the entire intelligence wing of the Guyana Defence Force after that Unit failed to respond to an order NOT to pursue the investigation, after the discovery of high powered weapons in the possession of Roger Khan, serving member of the Guyana Police Force, Benfield and others at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara while traveling in a specially imported bullet-proof vehicle; (If an independent and impartial investigation is held, some of those GDF ranks may be inclined to reveal what they originally found on the laptop computer seized at Good Hope; who ordered its release; to whom was it sent; and, what they were told to do with  the information initially retrieved);
* There would also be much more evidence available if a proper independent and impartial inquiry was held. For example, a former Chairman of the Private Sector Commission may wish to reveal, publicly, what he witnessed one evening at the Office of the President.
That evidence would connect all the dots and, indeed, tie the noose, as it would, allegedly, link the Head of State in a direct meeting with the criminal masterminds.
The shock was so great that the businessman immediately exercised the option taken by many competent Guyanese: He closed his business and migrated.
Perhaps, it is the fear of such evidence being made public that partly explains the President’s marked reluctance over the years to mount an independent inquiry into the criminal violence on the East Coast, despite this call was made by the opposition Parties, including the PNCR, and supported by many stakeholders.
Before making accusations, therefore, President Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar and the PPP would first have to come clean, and, in some cases answer for the murder of Tshaka Blair, Ronald Waddell and the hundreds of Guyanese youth who became victims of the phantom Squad.
It should be remembered that direct evidence given is a US Court links Ronald Waddell’s assassination to the Roger Khan’s outfit.
Ramotar would also have to explain why President Jagdeo resisted all the calls from the PNCR and the Joint Opposition Parties for an independent investigation or Inquiry into the criminal violence on the East Coast of Demerara since the infamous jail break.
BENIFICIARIES
It should be obvious that the ultimate beneficiaries of  the crime spree which began  after the 2002 jailbreak and continued unabated until the incarceration of Shaheed “Roger” Khan have been no other than Khan himself and the PPPC Administration. The opportunistic use of Buxton, a once proud African village, marred by systematic and orchestrated PPPC efforts to marginalize, criminalize and destroy, is best understood in the racist politics of the PPPC and the economic starvation which this village and many others on the East Coast faced, making them prime targets for “criminal masterminds.”
Between 2002 and 2006 many citizens, including, businessmen, journalists and a Government Minister, were executed, robbed, kidnapped and faced brutal crimes. None was spared as this nation was led astray by the PPPC brand of justice which conveniently saw all dead victims being classified as “criminals” and the PPPC gloating about victory over crime.
Meanwhile, they strategically orchestrated blame on the PNCR for association with criminals and “seeking power through the back door”.
THE SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE
The crime spree demonstrated, however, that criminals can bond, irrespective of race and other differences. The infamous death squad included self-confessed informers such as George Bacchus and gunmen such as Axel Williams.
Then there was the publicised “Chowtie incident”, where the East Coast burglar, wearing a Rastafarian wig, was discovered to be both East-Indian and a long-time PPP activist. No one race has an affinity to crime more than another.
Yet, the PPPC has made every effort to criminalise one group as they seek political mileage and ethnic encampment. Buxton was for them a convenient example, so they labeled the entire village criminal to reinforce the subliminal message.
President Jagdeo personally reinforced these messages from the PPP’s hallowed site at Babu John. It is in this context, therefore, that one must analyse the failure of the Government to implement constructive proposals and, instead, place the village of Buxton on military lock down, even as they ignored the real dimensions of narco criminality and knew the real perpetrators of criminal enterprise and violence.
(To be continued)

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