Dear Editor,
It is a matter of grave concern that we appear to have a multi category approach in responding to calls for justice in our legal system.
The front page of the Catholic Standard of April 25, 2008 once again reports the non -response of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to the request of the Roman Catholic Bishop for a special prosecutor in the matter of the Guyflag Insurance Company Fire Insurance Claim following the destruction of the Sacred Heart Church by fire.
The Bishop’s written request of early November 2007, we understand, was followed up by another later in March 2008. Further, counsel for the bishop in the matter have reportedly made numerous efforts to contact the DPP, all without success.
Meanwhile one has read of special prosecutors being appointed in other cases such as the NBS fraud, another fraud case in a private company and matters involving evasion of taxes and duties payable to the State, the most recent being the Guyana Revenue Authority vs Fidelity Investments.
President Jagdeo in his meeting with Senior Police Officers on Thursday, April 24, 2008 has reportedly called for major improvements in the investigation of white collar crime, the category in which this insurance fraud falls.
In view of the above is the RC Bishop’s matter not entitled to equal treatment as that in the other instances named above?
Further, does our President’s call for investigative improvements not include the prosecution of any resulting case? It certainly must, since one does not believe he intended otherwise.
The DPP must pronounce on the RC Bishop’s request for a special prosecutor as a matter of greatest urgency and prior to May 2, 2008 when the matter is set for yet another report, lest the judicial role of the DPP be brought into question.
Yours faithfully,
(name and address provided)
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions for any comments she may wish to make.
