Let Granger speak for himself

Apr 29, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I wish to respond to a letter written by ex-GDF Major Ian Fraser, “Granger was too junior in 1973” Kaieteur News April 27. After reading the letter, it is obvious that Mr. Fraser had no clue of the immense power invested in David Granger in 1973 as the Political Liaison Officer to the brilliant Forbes Burnham, or he thinks the masses of Guyanese are dumb and misinformed.
It is amazing that he went to great lengths to defend Granger, yet he failed to ‘clear the air’ on the rigging of that election that robbed the PPP of their victory, and disenfranchise the will of the majority of Guyanese to have a government of their choice. Former GDF Major Ian Fraser would have been credible had he informed us who specifically gave the instructions for the seizure of those ballot boxes, and which GDF officer, if not Granger, was charged to carry out those instructions.
And perhaps Ian Fraser would also wish to tell us the name of the officer in charge of stuffing those ballot boxes at Camp Ayanganna that gave the PNC Party and Forbes Burnham a two-thirds majority at the polls. He must know the answers to these questions because by his own admission, “I had to know because I was always involved in the internal security operations of the GDF, and during the elections in 1973, I was deployed as a platoon commander in Georgetown”.
Fraser went on to say, “I have great confidence in the integrity and character of the men and women who I served with, a few regrettable exceptions aside.” Was Granger one of the few? If not, how can anyone refer to David Granger as having “integrity” when (and I must refer to this again) Malcolm Harripaul, another pro Granger ex-GDF officer, once admitted in a letter to SN, (Oct 2, 2010) “I remember well I once went to him (David Granger) with a problem. The credit union had for the second time turned down my application for a loan on the grounds that I did not have sufficient service, although they had twice given loans to another officer who had less service than me.
I explained my case to Brig Granger and he was visibly upset. He called the officer on the phone and calmly said, “I have young Harripaul in my office. Could you please bring me his cheque for the loan he applied for? In less than five minutes the cheque was brought.”
Where was the integrity of Granger then, when he used his seniority to overrule his loans officer without enquiring the reasons Harripaul was denied his loan application. And where is the integrity of David Granger now when he fails to adequately explain his roll in the 1973 seizure of ballot boxes and the rigging of that election, that cause the death of two innocent civilians at the hands of the GDF, leaving it to others to defend his roll and character.
In the army, I believe the word ‘coward’ may have been appropriate to describe such a person.
I say, let Granger speak for himself. He’s the one running for the highest office in the land, he is the one asking the electorate to believe he will save Guyana from corruption and crime, and will restore the economy. But if we can deduct anything from the Harripaul incident, it is simply this: God help us all if Granger is ever elected President and brings that management style to the Executive Office.
We’re all aware of the corruption, cronyism and misuse of public funds that the Jagdeo Administration is accused of, and PPP/C presidential candidate Donald Ramotal will have to explain his role, if any, in all of this. But I would be remiss if I give David Granger a free pass to bring salvation to this nation, without demanding that he too, come clean with the Guyanese people. For as they say, “Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones”.
Harry Gill

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Let Granger speak for himself

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