That column brought back memories of GUYSTAC

Jan 15, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
I refer to the Freddie Kissoon column of Monday, January 9, 2017 with the headline, “Never Trust Guyanese Politicians.” Mr. Kissoon made mention of Emile Dodson who is Mr. Jagdeo’s lawyer but was accepted by the Government to be on the Procurement Commission. If I interpret him right, he was saying that in the affairs of government, past and present, there have been people who crisscrossed the opposition and the party in government. When I read that column, I smiled.
We, former public servants know and saw so much that we take our secrets to the grave. Guyana should be grateful it has a Freddie Kissoon to keep history alive. I have long retired. I live in the USA (I would prefer not to state where, if you don’t mind. Mr. Harris). I don’t think I have any intention soon to travel to Guyana. I am long settled in the US and one day with my age I will meet my maker. It is not in my character to write to the press. I have never done so, but the Kissoon column was really interesting.
I was assigned to GUYSTAC as soon as it was formed. I crisscrossed all the companies in GUYSTAC as my job was in finance. When GUYSTAC was formed (as the brain child of Dr. Kenneth King), I was seconded from my public servant job to GUYSTAC. I got to know the wife of the editor, Mr. Adam Harris as she worked in GUYSTAC group. She was a very pleasant person; that I can definitely recall. The most I will say is that her boss and I were good friends because he occupied a high position in GUYSTAC.
On two occasions, I was asked by the then Economic Development Minister, Dr. Kenneth King to facilitate two Members of Parliament from the PPP through the Guyana National Trading Corporation (GNTC). The specific request was for goods for the business place of the PPP on Regent Street. Its name was GIMPEX. Dr. King did not meet with me. I was asked to do the transaction by a third party. I met the two gentlemen on three occasions. What was interesting was the Minister knew the transaction had to pass through my hands but I was never instructed by any official, including the Minister, not to discuss the matter.
I never did. It was my work and I did the necessary paper work. But it was clear to me at that time that despite fierce fighting between the PPP and the PNC, the PPP had contacts with the government. I had another experience with this kind of situation. It was after President Burnham had died. I was asked to facilitate a big person from the Working People’s Alliance. Shortly after that, all of us knew privatization was coming and it was time for me to leave Guyana.
That column by Kissoon stirred my interest. It brought back memories of my days at GUYSTAC. If I knew about these things between opposing political parties then I am sure so many others in my time would know too. I haven’t mentioned any names. I think that is best left to people like Freddie Kissoon. By this I don’t mean any insult to Kissoon. In fact, I am a strong admirer of him. I think he is one of the best Guyana produced in the field of honest politics and a good son of the soil. Mr. Kissoon is a columnist so it is his job to cite names. I am peacefully retired, serving my church and my God. I take this opportunity to wish, Mr. Adam Harris a Happy New Year
Former Guystac official

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That column brought back memories of GUYSTAC

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