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The distortions of history continue

Jun 01, 2011 Letters

dear Editor,
The Independence 26th May issue of the Chronicle sullied its pages with the article by Rakesh Rampertab titled, “Guyana under siege” on page 13.
Mr. Norman Yacoob Chapman, the owner of the ill-fated ‘Son Chapman’ called me to express his shock and anger that the writer would perpetuate the myth about what happened on that fateful day of July 6, 1964 when forty-five persons, all Afro Guyanese, perished as a result of an explosion on the launch ‘Son Chapman’.
I write because the author of the article found it necessary to mention my name twice, making insinuations; Perforce, I again set the records straight.
First, the article is a rehash of an old PPP propaganda ploy, in an attempt to shift the blame, and fool our young people, who were not around and may not have read the report on the incident.
Second – the victims were all known PNC supporters. Some were activists, personally known and loved by me, including the pregnant wife of a PNC stalwart Edgar Carryl. – persons we in the Party cherished.
Thirdly – after the tragedy, a full inquiry was held (unlike these days), the finger of guilt pointed to someone who had visited Freedom House, and to use a now current phrase, had a ‘conversation’ with a man called ‘Paddy Man.’
This man would ship and travel regularly with his produce on the ‘Son Chapman’. But, after the ‘conversation’ at Freedom House, he did not travel on the launch that day, but his paddy did.
The evidence suggests that the bomb was placed in a bag of paddy on the launch.
Next – it is not for me to deal with the warped reference about dates in this article, but to state that it is a total absurdity to suggest that the PNC was transporting detonators from Georgetown to Mackenzie (Linden). It is as they say, taking coals to Newcastle.
All of the men who worked in the bauxite mines and those in charge of explosives were known and solid PNC supporters, so why should the PNC, or anyone connected, take detonators or any form of explosives on a launch from Georgetown to Linden (Mackenzie)?
Linden was the place where if needed, such items could be obtained. This is absurd and has been debunked umpteen times, but for not obscure reasons, the writer, Mr. Rakesh Rampertab restates this falsehood. Finally, it is time for the propaganda agents to admit knowledge of this crime which in one stroke took forty-five lives of known PNC supporters.
But Rakesh Rampertab may wish to write about who set the incendiary device in the early hours of June 1, 1964 at the home of Mr. Arthur Abraham, which took the lives of Mr. Abraham and seven of his children.
Mr. Abraham was a public servant. He was the Permanent Secretary in the Premier office (Dr. Jagan). Before this fire, he was transformed, according to the PPP, on promotion, as Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works.
He can also write about, when on March 23, 1963 an estate school bus was blown up on the East Coast of Demerara, injuring children like little Candy Pierre, the D’Aguiars, the Dodds boys, and killing young Godfrey Teixeira.
In response to the hue and cry raised by the large number of concerned Guyanese spanning every section of the population, the Mirror, the PPP mouth-piece, carried this in its Editorial: they did not weep for the children of Kowsilla. It argued that Kowsilla, who was killed accidentally when participating in a sit-down strike, had also left children.
The Editorial noted that nothing like the furore attending the death of the little Portuguese boy had been made.
I hope and pray that by our next Independence Celebrations, we have a free and balanced Chronicle and a number of Independent Radio and Television Stations and so put an end to this assault on the Truth and Radio monopoly.
Hamilton Green, J.P.
Mayor

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