Nandlall’s threats against K/News…File stuck in DPP Chambers

Dec 14, 2014 News

Almost one month after the police completed the file on allegations made by the Publisher of the Kaieteur News,

Attorney General
Anil Nandlall

Glenn Lall, against Attorney General Anil Nandlall, the matter remains stalled in the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack.
It’s been more than six weeks since the Kaieteur News Publisher filed a complaint with the police alleging that the Attorney General had knowledge of a plan to attack the newspaper offices on Saffon Street.
After taking statements from several persons, the police forwarded the file to the DPP for her to advise on whether or not to institute charges against the Attorney General.
And while it took the DPP a mere two days to advise on a threatening language complaint made by Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority Khurshid Sattaur against Lall, the Nandlall file has been engaging her chambers’ attention for close to a month.
A source who has links to the DPP’s office told this newspaper that it is unusual for the DDP to take so long with matters of this nature.
“She will look at it and if she needs further information from the police, she will send back the file to them. But I do not think that this is the case with this matter,” the source told this newspaper.
Attorney General Nandlall, in a recorded conversation with Senior Reporter, Leonard Gildarie had hinted at a plot to attack the Kaieteur News in retaliation to the newspaper’s exposure of corrupt activities by persons close to the ruling administration.
In the conversation with the Kaieteur News’ senior reporter, Nandlall told Gildarie that Kaieteur News had become a very dangerous place and that he should leave to avoid being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Initially the police appeared to have been stalling the investigations into the matter and this approach was criticized by

DPP Shalimar Ali-Hack

certain sections of society, which accused them of abandoning all pretence of impartiality and neutrality.
A few weeks ago, the Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) ordered the Guyana government to provide within 15 days, information on the steps the government intends to take to protect Kaieteur News and its staff.
“After analyzing the factual and legal arguments put forth by (Christopher Ram) the commission considers that the information presented demonstrates prima facie that the members of Kaieteur News journal are in a serious and urgent situation since their lives and personal integrity faced an imminent risk of irreparable harm.”
It ordered that the government provide updated information periodically.
“Given that the present precautionary measures have been granted without having previously requested information from the State, the Commission will review this decision once it receives reports from both parties.”
The Commission informed Guyana that it must adopt the necessary measures to protect the lives and personal integrity of (Glenn Lall, Adam Harris and Leonard Gildarie); agree on the measures to be adopted with the beneficiaries and their representatives; and report on the actions taken to investigate the alleged facts that gave rise to the adoption of this precautionary measure in order to prevent their repetition.
A few days prior, the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) had condemned the Government and called for the state to pull out all stops to ensure the safety of media workers.
According to the ACM, the Government of Guyana must do all in its power to protect media workers from violent attacks and acts of intimidation. The government must also ensure that it does not send mixed signals about its stated commitment to a safe environment for all journalists and media practitioners in the country.