Dear Editor,
GHK Lall details a litany of reasons he did not engage with the scourge of gold smuggling, a stunning tale of woe and defeat before the task even began; a sad, self-indulgent wallow in the muddy glory hole of those who quit for fear of defeat. Almost every reason GHK lists for not beginning the fight against gold smuggling is faced by CANU as it battles the evil of narcotics trafficking in Guyana, and yet that agency is having unprecedented success, 140KG cocaine, 3950KG cannabis were seized since the beginning of 2022 under the leadership of James Singh. The difference in outcomes warrants a closer examination of GHK’s reasoning.
GHK asserts that the Guyana Gold Board has no power to investigate; did GHK ever approach President Granger, explain the issue, and ask for empowering amendments? An answer in plain English would be appreciated. The problem of information and plans to interdict smuggling leaking is solvable using tried and tested molehunt techniques, a mainstay in top-level executive managers’ toolboxes. GHK says “too many people, too much turf, and too many relationships intertwined, which inhibits any bona fide investigation into gold smuggling in Guyana” but fails to understand that his acknowledgment that “during the teeth of US sanctions on Venezuela, gold from there (and more distant locales) were reported, suspected, or known to come into Guyana” presented a pathway to begin serious investigation involving international law enforcement agencies.
As a recent CANU release stated, “the unit continues to support multinational operations that have yielded significant seizures outside of Guyana, so the same multi-agency approach that President Ali speaks about is also being done on an international level through partnerships and ongoing investigations”. GHK makes a nebulous fifth point about President Ali’s commitment to ‘dismantling onerous regulations’ without identifying any specific action taken, and/or resultant consequences; similarly, GHK says “on the heels of proceedings against a mid-level presence in the murky gold world, which made sensational headlines, the result was a suspension of all gold shipments from Guyana” without naming the person/entity, this unwillingness to speak the names of persons and entities engaged in proven lawbreaking is contrary to the baying for transparency that usually accompanies Mr. Lall’s musings; do as I say and not as I do perhaps?
Editor, CANU has made 59 cases since James Singh returned to head that agency, so far there have been 29 convictions, including a ‘big fish’, this demonstrates clearly what can be done when there is political will, positive attitude, and dedication to creating a better version of Guyana. Guyanese would be better off taking the advice from American car designer, Carol Shelby, who famously said “I’m not going to take this defeatist attitude and listen to all this crap anymore from all these people who have nothing except doomsday to predict” instead of GHK and others who quit before the first battle was fought.
Sincerely,
Robin Singh
