Dear Editor,
Once again the PPP with spokesman Bharrat Jagdeo in the saddle is on the road of mischief propaganda. Recently at a public meeting we heard deceptive figures quoted about how much more money the PPP spent on our Security Forces, as against a previous government all in an effort to win votes of the Police and Army.
What is important is not the dollars alleged in the budget or spent, it is how the money was used and who were the main beneficiaries? This is what members of our security forces need to hear. After 22 odd years of PPP rule and all the monies spent on our Security Forces, they are less equipped than before 1992, and seem unable to cope with serious matters.
First, the attitude of the PPP to the Police and Army – In 1991 Freedom House called the members of the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force ‘Party Goons’.
Second, the PPP Government buys vehicles from their friends that are not specially equipped for security purposes.
Forget the water cannon it is a useless toy, more money for the boys. What about the luxury cabin cruisers suited for use by the big ones for weekend pleasure and frolicking – not for serious security work, who benefitted from the deal? A forensic lab that cost many millions, a white elephant, a criminal waste of our money that is the money we hear about.
Buying inferior footwear for ranks – who benefits from their clearly corrupt transactions, the list is long, yes a lot of money was spent but how? Certainly not to enhance our security. So the falsehoods continue to be spread for those who do not know. Yes, before the PPP came into office one police officer was killed every five years in the line of duty. Since the PPP took office the average so far is two every year, this is a 1000% (one thousand percentage) increase in Police fatalities. Who made them unsafe?
I give but one example to expose this ruse by Jagdeo and the PPP. Due to the type of terrain and size of Guyana air power for surveillance and contact is vital for security. With all of this talk of monies being spent, (into whose pockets) today the combined Security Forces have at best two fixed wing, (one Chinese) serviceable aircraft and two helicopters that fly occasionally.
Before the PPP took office in 1992 the Security Forces had available during 1980-1990.
Three large Soviet made M18 helicopters
Two Allouette French-made helicopters
Two Bell 212 USA-made helicopters
Two Bell 206 USA-made helicopters
1 Bell 412 USA-made helicopter
Fixed Wing fleet of the Security Forces
One King Air Beach Craft (Executive Type)
Three Islanders
Two Sky Vans
One Romania-made Aircraft (Tupolev Jet)
All with well trained and daring pilots.
How do you think we expelled the Surinamese from the New River Triangle and put down the Rupununi Uprising?
We spent all these millions according to the PPP yet for a simple basic test to help in crime detection we have to send specimens abroad which takes weeks by which time we have cold cases. We have an army that is woefully under strength and not capable of protecting our borders and patrimony to the East, West, North, or South, so what are these Freedom House speakers talking about?
What the PPP leaders did not address is how poorer and unsafe they’ve made our country by compromising our security, so that their friends such as Pilot Khamraj Lall could build a hangar to the extreme West of the Airport have a special roadway that he can use to go and come without having to go through customs, immigration and airport security. The same aircraft and services used by President Ramotar. What is the PPP, Jagdeo and Ramotar talking about?
The PPP administration must also explain why after a GDF patrol came upon Roger Khan and his mini army with high-powered weapons and illegal communication equipment, which records showed were imported by a Government Minister, the GDF was ordered to disband that unit in order to give the government freedom to carry out their nefarious activities. Thanks to the Americans, the likes of Roger Khan, Pilot Khamraj Lall and others were apprehended. What is the PPP talking about on the campaign trail?
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green
