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I’ve seen fascism inches away from me

Mar 07, 2011 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

On Saturday morning, I received a call from Mark Benschop asking me to call the police and the media to inform them that he was under attack from Mr. Kwame Mc Koy and group of gunmen outside Mr. Mc Koy’s home in Diamond. I immediately called Dale Andrews of this newspaper to help out with the police angle because as a crime reporter he would now which police personnel to alert. I contacted every private media house including demerarawaves.com. I immediately phoned Adam Harris who summoned Michael Jordan of this newspaper who lived in the vicinity. I thought it was best to alert Norris Witter and Lincoln Lewis of the TUC leadership. They went to Diamond too.
On my way to Diamond, I received a call from someone who identified herself as Persaud (she did gave her first name but I can’t remember it) from the Guyana Times. She wanted a comment from me but before she could tell me on what, I informed her of the attack on Benschop. She indicated that she would communicate with her editor. She came off the phone and didn’t call back. No one from Guyana Times ever came to the scene at Diamond or the Brickdam Police Station. As I reached Kwame Mc Koy’s house, the private media was in full swing. The police arrived at the same time.
Mr. Benschop was covered in mud with blood oozing from his right wrist. His vehicle was badly damaged with all of the eight windows of his SUV totally destroyed. Mr. Mc Koy came out of his home to speak to the police. Mr. McKoy threatened me in the presence of Inspector Watts and media officials when he told me; “You better shut your mouth if you know what is good for you.” I asked Mr. Watts to bear in mind what Mc Koy told me. I was advised by some media personnel and other police ranks to officially lodge a complaint with the Diamond/Grove Police Station. I was not interested. These things come with the territory.
Mr. Benschop kept yelling to the police (about 7 of them) to search Mr. McKoy’s dwelling and car because all his documents including passport, flash drives and laptop computer and cash were stolen from his vehicle. Benschop insisted that the house may have guns because armed men came out of the building. The police absolutely refused. Mr. McKoy’s explanation was that Benschop pelted his home and broke a window. Benschop’s version was that he was beaten up by Mc Koy and armed goons and his vehicle smashed up. The SUV was there for the police to see.
Off to the Diamond/Grove Police Station we went. Then Benschop was transported to Brickdam around 13.00 hours. He was charged for damage to property at around 18.00 hours, denied bail and put in the Brickdam lock-up. Attorney Christopher Ram was refused permission to see him. Mr. McKoy was released from Diamond/Grove Station at the same time Benschop was escorted to Georgetown. Now see if you get this right and see if this is not fascism. See if this is not what happened in fascist Germany in the first half of the 20th century. Please read carefully.
Mark Benschop alleged he was beaten up by Mc Koy and a goon squad that had guns and they destroyed his car. Mc Koy’s complaint is that Benschop threw a stone and broke the pane of one of his windows.
The police released Mc Koy. Benschop was charged and denied bail (he was granted $25, 000 bail in the early hours of Sunday morning.) Here is where the frightening madness comes in. Mr. Benschop has blood and mud all over him. His vehicle sits on the road outside of Mc Koy’s house in a totally shattered state. But Benschop is charged for pelting a stone at McKoy’s window.
In the same issue of this newspaper where the episode is reported (yesterday), Prem Misir has a letter extolling Guyana as a democracy. Of course no one takes Misir seriously knowing he is an OP propagandist. I remain the only academic in the region that has classified the Guyana Government as incorporating fascist features in the exercise of power. If a subordinate Public Servant like Mc Koy could be perceived as an untouchable by the police, then one shudders to think the fear the police would have displayed if a higher actor in the corridors of power was involved. If ever a country needs a Velvet revolution then Guyana is one. Where are the Guyanese people?

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