-One Grenadian’s observation, 200 killed?
Mr. Henry Greene is Guyana’s Commissioner of Police. He has qualified to practise law as an attorney but opted to remain in the force which he has served for decades. (I suspect that, besides a long inculcated commitment to policing, Mr. Greene wanted to ensure the full benefits from a so far life-long service to the GPF.) To me, a reasonable, if not always wise, choice.
Like Laurie Leyland Lewis and Floyd Mc Donald before him, Greene has been the recipient of rabid criticism and motivated political opposition. In and out of parliament. (Winston Felix retired into the sunset relatively peacefully, though the near future might reveal that he too might not have been all “saintly”).
But I’ve always found Henry Greene to be an interesting senior law enforcement professional. Why? Because I-and you- can discover that Mr. Greene is a forceful, many sided personality if, like me, you were exposed to past Commissioners and other “policy people”, generally.
Commissioner Greene was a robust “Queen’s College Boy” who carried an interesting African nickname which all and sundry were not permitted to use. I discovered evidence of Mr. Greene’s literary bent, his penchant for history and his academic abilities, even when his demeanour does not suggest the intellectual he could be – and most likely is.
In 1989 when the force celebrated the 150th anniversary of its existence, then Senior Superintendent Greene edited for publication an anniversary magazine titled “Chronicles of the Force”. The Force never before or after published anything like that comprehensive historical and inspirational record. Greene’s editorial and literary skills produced a great book.
One sampling of his own work from that 1989 publication:
The records of the Force reveal a rich history. From a sweeping Colonial past of expatriates who worked to improve the image of the Force in achieving their objective, to a loyal Guyanese Force striving with limited local resources, to achieve its objective. Names such as Sir David James Gardiner Rose, the late Governor-General and Ex-Assistant Commissioner of Police and Major General Norman Mc Lean, Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Head of the Disciplined Services and Ex Deputy Commissioner of Police, will forever remain in the annals of Guyanese history. And there are other retired and ex-policemen who have made significant contributions at home and abroad, but are not mentioned here. The Force has moved from one of local illiterates to local administrators, without debar of anyone to the highest rank in the service.
And it will continue to produce for sons of the soil to serve in other capacities.
Attorney Corbin – and Greene’s response
Now, my erstwhile boss, RHO Corbin has good reason to know Commissioner Greene. Obliquely, but beautifully, Greene has reminded attorney-at-law Corbin about “those days”. But I’ll return to that response below.
Attorney Corbin has opted for politics, even after he qualified. That’s after his daughter became a lawyer – she likes to remind daddy that he’s her “junior!” But RHO has not done badly, becoming the Leader of the People’s National Congress and of the Opposition in Parliament. Not bad at all! Don’t think I’m going to touch on the obvious here – the challenges to him over this weekend. No my intent is to discuss Mr. Corbin and Mr. Greene.
I suspect that the politician Corbin knows that Commissioner Greene has been no angel. Leaving aside American and Canadian allegations against our Top Cop, info about Greene from Eve Leary was and is that he was and is one tough cookie. I am reliably informed that even younger cops feared the presence and techniques of Mr. Greene in bygone days. Then check Greene’s response to attorney-politician Corbin’s and his Party’s accusations.
They proclaimed that the Commissioner was succumbing, either unknowingly or gladly, to “Political Direction” in the discharge of his Constitutional duties.
Attorney-Commissioner Greene was fulsome in his response. Besides discussing what is meant by “independence” of his office and the difference between actual (documentary) evidence and newspaper/media reports or information, Greene reminded Comrade Corbin and the nation of Section 7(1) of the Police Act. Chapter 16:01, which reads thus: The commissioner shall, subject to the general orders and directions of the minister, have the command and superintendence of the force; and he shall be responsible to the minister for peace and good order throughout Guyana.”
Greene then politely reminded the PNCR-IG that that Act was in force when the party, then only the “PNC” was in government and power. So I suppose my point is: that attorney Corbin can’t underestimate or underrate attorney Greene. Dey know Mattie well! And political pots should be careful when calling professional kettles black! Score one-for now- Commissioner/Attorney Greene.
What the Grenadian said…
The just-concluded 19th Delegates Congress of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) featured many interesting moments at its Saturday Opening.
Like the divergent views, now frequent, of Guyana’s President and GAWU’s President. And the messages from GAWU’s Jamaican and Cuban guests. However, I feel constrained to share this excerpt from the Grenadian delegate’s message with you:
“In advancing the social agenda, this 19th Delegates Congress must find ways to harness the collective economic strength of the workers. Unions should have
control over workers pension funds, health insurance and other risk service products offered to our members. There is a tremendous amount of financial resources there, which our Union leaders have hitherto either refused to acknowledge or to utilize, preferring to leave in the hands of private capital. After all, is it not CLICO who manages most of our pension plans and health insurance? Is it not CLICO and the likes who offer risk protection on home mortgages and insurance on our motor vehicles? Millions of dollars of workers earnings which we secure through the Collective Agreements end up in the hands of private companies.
Walk into any part of Georgetown or any other Capital of any other Caribbean countries and witness the impressive mega-buildings owned by Banks and Insurance Companies and, while on that walk and look for Union Headquarters. That brief empirical research reveals how wealthy the Banks and Insurance Companies are and how poor and disorganized organised labour is. For almost every worker who has a mortgage or enjoys a pension or has access to health insurance is a worker covered by some Collective Agreement negotiated by a Trade Union.
Just think of the thousands of public workers throughout the region who own motor cars and homes – Teachers, Nurses, Police Officers, Civil Servants and others. Do a survey of the collective value of their ownership and you get the picture of what we are talking about. The leadership of GAWU is therefore challenged to formulate (a) new approach in pursuing the social development agenda of our members.”
Which 200 died?
I, in my bygone youth, first heard of “Death Squads” when Brazilian police, fed up with court rulings against their prosecutors, began eliminating freed suspects they knew and deemed to be guilty as charged. The squads even killed criminals before Court Day.
The trouble with extra-judicial killings is that the Death Squads, which might once have “meant well,” expanded their unlawful eliminations to include non-criminal victims. To avoid this type of anarchy, it is desirable that Courts of Law prevail.
Against that background, however, I’d like the accusers and protesters to: State how they arrived at a 200-plus victims list; who actually were these person killed (allegedly) by Khan’s people? Do they include any known criminals? Were persons shot legitimately by police included? Are any Buxton-gang victims included? Has the convict Khan named any of these victims? What? That’s why an inquiry is necessary?
Ponder:
*1) So Speaker Ramkarran was once anointed?
*2) I agree: young President Jagdeo could be a Putin-like Running mate during the next elections. Jagdeo for Prime Minister!?
*3) What is really mysterious about the Moruca deaths?
*4) Can’t the PPP/C appoint an Amerindian or Chinese Guyanese as Ambassador?
‘Til Next Week!
