Dear Editor,
First, they said that there is gold smuggling. Then, they said that there is no gold smuggling. Next, they said that whether there is smuggling or not, those details are “confidential”. Confidential has become a convenience store in Guyana meaning that it is open 24/7 and used every minute of every hour. For the worst objectives: to look out for the interests of friends, family, and favourites (think of FFF as the real meaning of PPP). Well, Americans have had enough, and so they broke up the baby party. The Americans were so thorough that they even had the foresight to stickup up a most senior Guyanese public servant and snatch her phone. It is not one like mine. That is, cheap, and lacking in sweet secrets. And so a journey that began a long time before energized an old direction, gathered renewed momentum.
I know one of the Mohameds, the older one. In government offices on government time, we had tough conversations about tough issues. A moment or two was found to discuss spiritual things, and I am grateful for his insights. On the rough and tumble issues, matters of state interest, he and his peers, some of whom were competitors, were models of courtesy. At least to my face. But there were all these whispers: the GRA and Ogle airport; the interior and cross-border movements. The contagious virus was of men and precious metal on the move, with a few women in close attendance from time to time. There were concerns, there were escalations, there were investigations. All ran into walls. But a few names kept coming up constantly, some of which became familiar. Some are still strangers today.
My conversations with the Americans opened new worlds. Many more names and faces surfaced. Some were and are believers in my spiritual space. Some are as tight as can be with the PPP. Some have long histories with the PNC. The thread was gold, always gold. Where was all this gold going? The Americans knew then, and they know much more now. I shall say no more. When gold smuggling came up, the big ones laffed in the face. Who is bubbling over with laughter today? Look at them scrambling with that trash about “respect for the rule of law and order.” Whose law and whose order(s)? So, gold smuggling is back on the front burner, and the heat is high. Everybody is up in arms against gold smuggling. It is good to be an American. I say here and now for all Guyanese to consume: the Americans know more, have their thick files of names.
Now, for a little tutorial. President Ali and the PPP are not looking too healthy with this American development. VP Jagdeo may thrash, lash, and bash. All he succeeds in doing is making himself into an effigy. Remember Her Excellency Sarah Ann Lynch was very physically present in Elections 2020. Even if she missed a few things, her vigilant entourage of spies and spooks wouldn’t have had that luxury. It was who was in, and how tightly packed in PPP corners. The already thick Embassy files grew in pages and with calculations. There was machinery. There was manpower. There was military type materiel. There was money. And most of all of those were in close intimacy with the PPP. There had to be lavish payback for all those extraordinary partnerships with gold sector powers.
The first was poohpoohing gold smuggling. The second was ‘dismantling’ what was denounced by the highest officer in this land as ‘onerous rules and regulations.’ So, the way was paved. Now look where Guyana is today, thanks to America, and with coverage from the likes of Reuters and God knows who else. It is better if I leave the divine out of a godless business. The SN headline had it right: ‘Silence on gold smuggling’ (SN June 13, 2024). The talkative are now tongue-tied. Well, when politicians and leaders tie themselves into knots, then their tongues become twisted, with the blankness of silence resulting. Rule of law and order will prevail. Now kiss my dog’s, let’s keep things clean, paws.
Sincerely,
GHK Lall
