Dear Editor,
As a former Minister of Home Affairs with responsibility for the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) I am saddened at the announcement made on June 16 by the APNU+AFC coalition administration terminating its contractual engagement with Mr James Singh, Head of CANU.
This is indeed a sad day for CANU and the fight by its operatives against the trafficking of illicit drugs within our national territory.
In this regard, CANU under James Singh, made a significant contribution both inside and outside Guyana to the fight against drug trafficking which, under his stewardship, reached great heights and presently commands tremendous respect internationally, much to the benefit of our country.
The much publicized Commission of Inquiry was mandated to “enquire into the circumstances surrounding the entry into, the interception, detention and subsequent release of an unnamed private marine vessel in the sea space of Guyana.” The CoI was asked to report its findings and recommendations to the President who chairs the National Security Committee. Of fundamental importance is whether the Minister of Public Security was regularly kept informed by Mr Singh about CANU’s involvement in the interception, detention and subsequent release of the vessel.
Was his subject Minister informed as to whether CANU was part of a joint regional operation in collaboration with other drug enforcement agencies including the US DEA, and that CANU, based on its international cooperation obligations had no choice but to collaborate with other members of the International Drug Enforcement Countries (IDEC) to intercept and detain the vessel and to engage in what appeared to be a controlled delivery operation?
If Mr Ramjattan was kept informed by Mr Singh at each step of the said operation but did not see it fit to report the matter to the President or Mr Harmon, then it is Mr Ramjattan who would be delinquent, not James Singh.
In the circumstances, the question arises whether in accordance with natural justice, James Singh was summoned to the Ministry of the Presidency, told of the findings and recommendations of the CoI and invited to offer his opinion on the said findings and recommendations. If this was not the case, then Mr Singh’s dismissal may have been an arbitrary act taken without due regard to the principles of natural justice.
It is to be recalled that a CoI was established to enquire into a fire that broke out at a Drop-in Centre for children where two children died. Minister Volda Lawrence was held responsible but no action was taken against her. Other CoIs were established to enquire into the riots at the Georgetown Prison, the Public Service, the Ministry of Education and GuySuCo, but nothing resulted from these inquiries. The government therefore appears to be cherry picking which CoI it wishes to take action on and who deserves to be sanctioned or dismissed.
The dismissal of the Head of CANU is a slap in the face of all those international agencies engaged in fighting the illicit trafficking in narcotics and with which the head of the organization has been collaborating over the years.
It is expected that CANU operatives, notwithstanding who will replace Mr Singh, will continue to execute their duties professionally, utilizing all the skills and tools at their disposal to reduce significantly drug trafficking in and out of Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Clement J Rohee
