Dear Editor,
The Stabroek News (SN) special release of the crime dossier blazes a new trail in journalism in Guyana. Obviously, much time and research has led to a good product. The “Truth Squad” is an approach in the USA whereby journalists take an independent approach in looking at the data and analyzing whether the claims by political parties are true or not, or exaggerated. Guyana’s politics has an abundance of distortions and exaggerations, and hopefully the Stabroek News can lead an effort within the Guyana Press Association to form a “Truth Squad,” as the election silly season is upon us. Maybe, the leadership of the Association can form a Truth Squad that has representatives from the different newspapers.
While crime control is an ongoing failure of the PNC Coalition government because it cannot remove an ineffective Public Security Minister who is a key leader of its minority coalition partner, the chief Plenarist/Caretaker Mr. Granger has derisively referred to a crime era during the PPP’s rule as “the troubles.” Many associated with the PNC have repeated the lie that over 400 young black men have been unlawfully killed during the PPP’s reign and seek to blame the PPP. But while Mr. Granger likes to hold Commissions of Inquiry at the drop of a hat, and providing jobs for his boys who head the inquiries, Mr. Granger has failed to launch an inquiry into “the troubles.” Observers feel that’s because an inquiry would implicate PNC personnel as having aided or abetted the intellectual authors of the troubles. To claim that a largely black law enforcement force, who usually do not support the PPP, would willingly kill black Guyanese at the behest of the PPP seems like a tall tale.
What the SN Special Report shows is that the list of those killed largely contains innocent people killed in their homes by bandits; law enforcement officers killed by bandits; and many people with criminal histories, and well known to law enforcement. The “troubles” were times when fear stalked the land; people were barred up in their homes as soon as it got dark; Churches cancelled evening prayer meetings, Bible studies, and other evening activities. I remember my relative was morbidly afraid to drive past Buxton, which had become a criminal nest. Those were the days when bandits hurled grenades at Police and the name “Fineman” drove fear in many hearts. Innocent, hardworking people were beaten mercilessly to tell where they stored their possessions and robbed of the little money, gold, or electronics they possessed, before they were maimed or killed by bandits. The troubles created many widows, widowers, orphans, fatherless and motherless homes, as breadwinners’ lives were brutally snuffed out.
So, the PNC may want to reexamine its strategy of trying to lay “the troubles” at the feet of the PPP or making it a racial issue. The “troubles” affected everyone. People have told me that whatever means were used to win the battle against the local terrorists was for the greater good for the greater number. Those were desperate times that required desperate measures. That was the time when the government was under siege because fear and crime stalked the land.
The SN Report has brought out the truth about what the PNC and Mr. Granger call the “troubles.” Thank you SN! The nation is grateful for your Special Report! Keep up the good work!
Yours faithfully,
Jerry Singh
