Not an apologist for Nandlall

Jul 04, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Reference is made to one Les Archer’s retort captioned “Nandlall does not get full marks” (Jul 2) wherein he mis-read, mis-characterised, and inaccurately described my missive that focused on Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s role in the election fraud (Jul 1). I did not present an “apologist stance in defense of the AG”. I never apologised for anything on behalf of the AG. That is not my task as I am not his spokesperson or assistant or authorised to speak on his behalf.
My missive applauded the legal acumen of Nandlall in helping to save democracy in Guyana. It was a description of his work as obtained from the public. Others (whose names I did not mention) from the legal and non-legal fraternity (inside and outside of Guyana) also played critical roles in saving democracy. Archer mentioned the “demise of Crum Ewing”. I grieve for all victims of crime; no one should be victim of violence. All perpetrators of violence must be brought to justice. Archer is seeking to tarnish the AG’s brilliant legal career. It has not been lost on anyone that Archer left out many murders that were committed during the PNC rule and for which there was no closure. The country, for example, still awaits justice for the murders of Walter Rodney, Vincent Teekah, Shirley Field Ridley, Father Bernard Darke, Dolly Baksh, Ohene Koama, among others. Racism seems to be a dominant political tool by elements of that party. Has Archer’s retort arisen out of this mindset?
On Crum Ewing’s killing and that of so many others, the nation cries for justice. My recollection (from what appeared in the media) is Crum Ewing’s murder occurred in March 2015 during the tenure of Nandlall as AG in his first stint on the job. And as I recall, there was a full investigation by the police. A person was charged for the murder of Crum Ewing and committed by a magistrate to stand trial in the High Court. Nandlall lost his job as AG when his party lost the election in May 2015. The PNC, the party of Crum Ewing, was catapulted into office.
During the 2015 campaign, the PNC promised to re-open the investigation into the killing. As I recall, Nandlall publicly called upon them (and was carried by the media) to do so. During the five-year tenure of the PNC led administration, May 2015 to July 2020, there was no re-opening of the investigation. They held several commissions of inquiries into all sorts of matters (some trivial), but none on this particular killing. And this despite Nandall calling upon them to do so in the public domain. The question remains: Why? Someone from that administration should explain!

Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram

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