It is reasonable to conclude that this investigation was lopsided

Mar 06, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

The Stabroek News of Wednesday, 27th February, 2019 on page 13 carried a story under the caption “Internal probe clears G.R.D.B. Staff in erroneous Panama Rice Shipment, and as I read the story, some paragraphs more than one time, I paused and tried to remember the last time I read so much trash as it relates to an investigation.
When one looks at the amount of containers – thirty-three – the negative effect on the rice industry will more than likely trickle down to our rice farmers. If we are going to have departments and agencies investigating themselves, it is like having a case with the Devil and the court is in hell, and the judge and jurors are relatives and friends of his (the devil). I subscribe to the age-old doctrine, that justice must not only be done, it must also appear to be have been done.
I can remember a Rice Board official on a visit to the Essequibo Coast telling the gathering (rice farmers) that the delivery of the wrong quality or kind of rice would not affect the market we have to that country, Panama. We all hope that it will not, but it goes far beyond that.
The public needs to know – and the Guyana Rice Development Board owes it to them – how such a mistake occurred; at what place; during what period and under whose custody and/or supervision this suspected switching took place. If careful inspection or inspection was done then the contents of thirty-three containers seem very impossible – not being detected.
In the ‘70s there were some Detective Corporals stationed at Suddie Police Station with whom I worked, namely Cpl. Barran, Samsundar, Harris and a few others, who would have fully investigated an incident of this nature and put up a report within a month.
It is reasonable to assume and conclude that this investigation was lopsided.
If at our ports of entry or exit our security personnel and other officials cannot monitor thirty-three containers entering or leaving, then how on earth would they detect suitcases of arms and ammunition or illegal substances?
It is reasonable to assume that no inspection was ever done or it was with some level of collusion that this embarrassing incident occurred.

Archie W. Cordis

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