America knows better, still must go on record

Jul 21, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

Reference is made to the article titled, “U.S. urges Guyana to go after assets of money launderers -launches two-day workshop on asset recovery” (KN July 20). The U.S. is now on record and has initiated another part of its dogged, ongoing, and resistance-plagued programme in this country where laundering is concerned. It is about as much as it can do, with a bow to nation-to-nation relationships, but I think it knows better about what the score is here whenever the matter of money laundering comes up for discussion.
In the textbooks, expert guidance, policies, programmes, step-by-step sweeps, and escalations of how to combat money laundering, asset recovery certainly qualifies as a way to get to the heart of the issue, and disrupt if not arrest the operations of launderers. It makes sense to go to where the nasty money is, unravel the successful efforts of those so engaged, and combat what is nothing but a national plague that remains on the backburner at low temperature where the PPP Government and its leaders are concerned.

I ask myself whether those who were part of the audience politely listening to Her Excellency had to fight to stifle a yawn, and maintain an interested face. This is because most of the people in that audience know fully well who the major launderers are in this country; and the higher the people, the more they know.
Editor, officials don’t only know who, but also how, and with whose help. Before it slips me the American Ambassador to Guyana also knows. In fact, she knows more, has bigger, more complete files, and possesses more of the connecting threads than the Guyana Government. So, everybody knows where everybody stands. Since policies, procedures, standards, and protocols restrain local and foreign luminaries from speaking openly (or out of turn), I do them all a favour by giving a helping hand. The citizens who are on radars, who have been fingered, who have earned their laundering records well are powerful friends of the PPP Government and its leaders. Government brass knows that, and the Ambassador knows that, too.

Both also know what kind of money (hundreds of millions from the loaded ‘big-shots’) went into the campaign coffers of the PPP during the last elections. In its post-elections report, the European Union spoke of a certain kind of money, which I leave to the imagination. In identical fashion, the PNC was offered and accepted the same kind of nasty, dirty, bloody money. The difference between the PPP and PNC regarding this kind of money was that the latter got way less, but it still received. To bring this to its natural conclusion, I assert that major segments of our system of governance was and is infused with laundered money. It was not free money, which means in the usual scheme of quid pro quo human endeavours that the expectations of givers/donors are that their generosity was well invested. I think it would be timely for me to insert protection money into the bargain.

So, when I read about a workshop on asset recovery, I want to laugh out loud, but out of respect for my fellow American, I stifle the inclination. The rich, pungent skeletons are all over and in plain sight due to access to top tier government leaders, Guyanese laundrymen (and women) no longer bother to conceal their tracks. They flaunt their political muscle, and they have the political leadership gifts to prove their point. Thus, to make a comprehensive go at genuine asset recovery would expose a lot of highly connected people, expose and embarrass the PPP Government, especially its big dogs, and expose and bring down a whole slew of interconnected businesses in diverse sectors. Her Excellency knows so, the people in her audience also, and the people so occupied too. In terms of the latter, we can spare the Chinese for their presence is middling (read any way that suits).

I move to wrap-up this. The Americans can sponsor, facilitate, and conduct all the seminars, workshops, and training required, but when all is over, I think it would be discovered that it is time to go back to the start because those assets and people would still be place, largely untouched. The launderers would enjoy a good, long belly laugh at government’s pretenses. Last, I understand that the Americans are concerned (even angry) and that the Ambassador has her role to play, but let us all face reality honestly: this is another exercise in futility or to present laundering in more scorching terms, it is a joke, and nothing but a joke and waste of time. But it is still necessary.

Sincerely,
GHK Lall

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