How are we ever to get peace and tranquility?

Sunday, February 1^st 2004

 Dear Editor,

 The ongoing crisis concerning the Minister of Home affairs and the allegations which have been made should be addressed by President Jagdeo in a more meaningful manner than he did at Annandale. This whole fiasco is undermining the dialogue process which was started with Mr Corbin and threatens to lead to another round of conflict and confrontation.

 Recently, I was on TV and said that a special counsel (prosecutor) should be appointed by the President (with opposition approval) with full access to all information and the ability to subpoena all parties involved  in this affair, from the Minister right down to any witnesses in a public hearing to determine all the facts and to lay at rest the concerns of the public, where all those who testify (including the Minister) are under oath knowing full well that if perjury is committed jail time is mandatory.

 But instead here we go again with the same divisions and hard positions of the two major parties- on one hand the PNC demanding the Minister resign without knowing all the facts and on the other hand the Government (PPP) stalling and keeping vital information from the public and the press.

 It never ends- this eternal conflict between these two parties hell-bent on dividing our beautiful country no matter the cost to future generations; listening to the PNC one would believe that their record in Government was so transparent that it defied question when we all remember the Walter Rodney affair,  the Rather Morrison affair (God bless his departed clean heart), the Vincent Teekah affair and many other dark periods; listening to the PPP’s Gang of 8, how can they commit to an independent investigation when their own intra-party corruption investigation has stalled and the medical facts surrounding President Cheddi’s death have been shoved under the carpet out of sight of their supporters while they continue to use his great name and reputation to further their own selfish agenda-communists never investigate themselves, never!

 How are we ever to find peace and tranquility with these two parties clawing at each other and over again instead of finding solutions and answers which we desperately need in the face of continuing poverty and unemployment? How is the Guyanese public going to understand the facts behind these allegations about phantom gangs and their impact on the criminal elements while the two parties place truth aside in their individual efforts at political opportunity? How will the crime situation abate when there is now a great weakening in the functioning of the Home Affairs ministry with possible conflict over this matter on the horizon?                  

In many countries where there is a real democracy , these allegations alone would have brought down the government but the least Mr Jagdeo could do is appoint a special counsel (one of our many outstanding lawyers) and a team of investigators to help him/her to get to the bottom of this matter and to take the necessary steps in order to satisfy the Guyanese public instead of following those who advise him to use stalling tactics. The whole matter is in the hands of My Jagdeo and as President, he had to show leadership and responsibility to certify to the Guyanese people that truth is the ultimate destination, especially in a matter of such serous implications to his government. Dismissing the allegations after Dr Luncheon skillfully stalled for time over the last weeks, has only shown up Mr Jagdeo as a leader who, it seems, cares only to stabilize the base support of his part and doesn’t really care about reaching out to other constituents. This does not bode well for the future.

 Yours faithfully,

 Cheddi (Joey) Jagan (Jr)