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Guyana: Shakedown in Chato’s land

Sep 30, 2019 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Before I begin the description of how broken down this country is, a word about the usage of Chato’s land. In the 21st century with a majority of Guyanese being under 40 years of age, the young people, in referring to an area in Guyana where there is no law and order, would not liken it to Chato’s land. They don’t know the term
Mostly used by youths in low income areas in the seventies, the words Chato’s land is the title of one of the most popular American western movies starring one of the most known names in those days – Charles Bronson.
Chato is a native Indian being hunted by a group of white men. They chased Chato in territory where there are no law and order and violence consumes everyone. It was quite common to hear young men (including me in Wortmanville) referring to certain “bad” parts of Georgetown as Chato’s land.
Chato’s land is where anything violent or shambolic can happen so there is no protection – it is every man for himself. The analogy with Guyana is so potent. This entire country has been enduring a collective psychic breakdown for decades, the manifestations of which are uglier than the things we see in sci-fi movies.
Last week, two speedboat operators driving on the Essequibo River in the night had as their guide the light from their cell phones. Can it get worse than that in Guyana? Of course, no need to ask; there was a collision and people died, including a woman chopped up by the propeller.
We come to the airport of a country in the 21st century. The country is Guyana. An airport is high security territory in any country. In an age of terrorism, the only places you would not find surveillance cameras are in the washroom at the airport and maybe even there you can find them in certain countries.
An outgoing passenger last week complained about a CANU official attempting to blackmail her about drugs in her suitcase. The woman said he had a small plastic bag in his hand while making the accusation of drugs in her luggage.
The woman filmed the conversation and it went viral. CANU examined the video. But why did they have to? Once she made the claim, the surveillance cameras had to pick up his movements. The cameras must pick up the search of the suitcase and the action of his hand taking the small plastic bag from his pocket.
CANU issued a statement of dismissal without naming the agent. This is the lopsided justice that poor people without status have to endure in this country. What that CAU rank did was extremely dangerous. It threatens the very foundation of freedom and justice in Guyana.
He has not been charged but here is the unfinished side to this sordid tale.
Who says this was his first indiscretion? How much money he would have got from a departing passenger as compared to wealthy drug lords that he has encountered?
Still there are more questions. How many innocent victims he has preyed on? How rich is this gentleman. Has he got friends that are involved in shakedowns?
Here is the most important question of them all. Are the cameras working? They cannot be because he would have known that if the woman remonstrated with him, then her accusation could be verified by the cameras.
This is Guyana in the 21st century where outgoing passengers are at the mercy of anti-narcotic rogue agents.
The people of this country have to be afraid of traveling given what happened to that woman. We will never hear or read about complaints from other victims because fear stalks this land.
People have been mentally brutalized by these rogue agents but simply paid up and have remained silent. They are no doubt afraid of vendettas. They are afraid that the bullies will send their friends to plant drugs in their cars or in their homes.
A bicycle thief is charged and hauled before the magistrate. A ghetto youth is arrested for smoking a gram of ganja. But an anti-narcotic agent commits a dangerous criminal offence is fired but his identity is protected by the employer. Readers should know that this newspaper carried his name and photograph.
Where are the people in Guyana who wear on their shirt sleeve the label that says, “I am a human rights activist, Exxon is a bad company.”
The people who criticize Exxon see nothing wrong with the absence of surveillance cameras at the main airport? They see nothing wrong with agents putting narcotics among passengers’ luggage.
Nigel Hinds says that maybe Exxon has silenced me. Maybe CANU has silenced him.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

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