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To prosecute or not to prosecute, that is the question

May 14, 2015 | By | Filed Under Letters 

DEAR EDITOR, One of the biggest questions the Coalition will face if the PPP loses the election is whether to prosecute the PPP leadership. There will be a debate generated from some quarters of this country and obviously pushed by some of the very persons under the microscope for the Coalition to look towards healing and reconciliation, and in doing so, to pardon those who include some of the most egregious offenders from the PPP leadership. Some within the Coalition may be tempted to consider this narrative, if not for saving the bacon of the miscreants, for what they believe may be political capital in capturing a larger segment of the Indian vote with these overtures in a future election. That narrative and approach is a crock of horse, pig, dog and donkey manure combined. You can have healing with prosecution and accountability. Mandela’s approach is not a fit for all circumstances. It was derived from South Africa’s particular circumstances. South Africa’s military was still controlled by many of the same individuals who would have faced prosecution and that alone would have triggered another deadly civil war. A minority of whites controlled the vast majority of the wealth and any recrimination would have caused massive capital flight, creating economic collapse and fuelling internal conflicts and warfare in the battle for scarce resources. Plus, South Africa has such deep tribal and other differences that any prosecution would have captured many black South African organizations for atrocities, including the ANC. Guyana’s situation is different from South Africa’s. Unlike white South African political leaders who were generally non-corrupt individuals who used apartheid to defend white domination and to enrich whites generally as a racial/ethnic group, the target group in Guyana for prosecution – the PPP’s leadership – is corrupt and has a notorious history of enriching themselves and their few friends and cronies at the expense of the group they claimed they represented and against the interests of the entire country. This group of PPP leaders gave away the wealth of this country they or their buddies could not benefit from to foreigners at the expense of their own people and even their own ethnic group. The country is not at risk for any civil war or sustained violence if these charlatans are prosecuted and jailed, if guilty. In fact, the majority of Indians will favour prosecution of these vagabonds. There is no military risk of prosecuting these individuals. The individuals driving the investigation and prosecution of these individuals will likely be Indians, based on the Coalition agreement, which gives AFC significant control of domestic affairs. Plus, it is the AFC, not the PNC that will likely be leading the prosecution with Nigel Hughes, Khemraj Ramjattan, Raphael Trotman and Moses Nagamootoo being the directing legal minds for any prosecution. So, there is no room to allege ethnic bias or to inflame ethnic passions. Just the act alone of prosecuting these individuals will signal a marked change in the rule of law in Guyana and that alone would land the Coalition significant political capital among their base and among those who voted against them. For the sake of law and order, the advancement of the rule of law, demonstrating accountability and broadcasting integrity, prosecution has to occur. Not only does it firmly signal there is change in governance and there is a new sheriff in town, it also shows that the new government is open to scrutiny if it stumbles and that people power is now alive. If the Coalition fails to prosecute, it will be accused of seeking to subvert the rule of law to avoid future prosecution if it falls afoul of the law and of breaking its promise. Surely, if it fails to prosecute, a reformed, ethical and multi-ethnic PPP with new trusted leadership will harp on the fact that it cleansed and purged itself of the very same trash while the Coalition did nothing to prosecute these rogues. M. Maxwell

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This country needs to move forward. We have never gotten a government that really governs. I say persecute and prosecute. Jagdeo with the Jagans 88888d the country for 65 years.

 

Jagdeo definitely should be dealt with. The man will forever want to live off the backs of the poor. 

S
Originally Posted by Chris Ramsammy:
Prosecute!!!!!!!!!!!! Swiftly and immediately. Robert Persaud, Irfaan Ali, Kwame McCoy, Shyam Nokta, Alexi Ramotar, Anil Nandlall, King Jagdeo

The Guyanese need to build a Gitmo with waterboarding and Bubba meat sausage treatment  for these terrorist...

sachin_05

Was the PNC leadership prosecuted in 1992?  

 

Desmond Hoyte told carter that unless he was promised not to be prosecuted, he wasn't going to hold free and fair election..

 

If you want to prosecute anybody, then start with the PNC.

 

 

R

Rama, you used to be a Jaganite but then you became a follower of the that crook Jagdeo. I hope Jagdeo is prosecuted. Under his watch, GY became a drug haven and death camp. He has blood on his hands; even of his own Minister.

FM
Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

Was the PNC leadership prosecuted in 1992?  

 

Desmond Hoyte told carter that unless he was promised not to be prosecuted, he wasn't going to hold free and fair election..

 

If you want to prosecute anybody, then start with the PNC.

 

 

the egregious pillage, brazen nepotism and use of state as a punishing tool to citizens is not a matter to be forgotten. It festers and poisons the body politic. We send pregnant mothers to jail for years for ganja possession, surely we can send one who give away the states assets to the Chinese for kickbacks, or his friends no bid contracts. This is obscene and seeks redress.

FM
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

Was the PNC leadership prosecuted in 1992?  

 

Desmond Hoyte told carter that unless he was promised not to be prosecuted, he wasn't going to hold free and fair election..

 

If you want to prosecute anybody, then start with the PNC.

 

 

the egregious pillage, brazen nepotism and use of state as a punishing tool to citizens is not a matter to be forgotten. It festers and poisons the body politic. We send pregnant mothers to jail for years for ganja possession, surely we can send one who give away the states assets to the Chinese for kickbacks, or his friends no bid contracts. This is obscene and seeks redress.

There is no proof that these things happened...

R
Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

You ignored the murders of Walter Rodney, Dolly baksh and Vincent Teekah...

 

Uncle Rama_Can't don't be bitter...we are witnessing a momentous history being created. The most glorious election since 1953 because the promise of 1992 was betrayed. It's a one in a lifetime moment. Focus on reforming the PPP so it can be a party non-souptunists would be happy to join without worrying about credibility. We are witnessing democratic turnover. No coup, no rigged election, just the ballot box.

FM
Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:

You ignored the murders of Walter Rodney, Dolly baksh and Vincent Teekah...

Uncle Rama sober up. It's your PPP/C that forgot. They were too busy pillaging and practising nepotism and even out done the PNC regime. More folks were killed under your PPP regime than under the PNC. Who killed Sat Sawh?

Mitwah

It all depends on what they are being prosecuted for. If any of them have violated the Constitution in carrying out a government objective, or enriched themselves with properties or funds belonging to the state, there is a case. Whatever reason they are arrested or prosecuted for has to be according to the Constitution, and any abuse thereof.

You can't prosecute for incompetence or bad government decision making.

When it comes to criminal activities outside of the office of government, then that is a criminal matter. It is for the police to investigate and hand over any evidence to the court to decide. It is not up to the ruling party or parties to interfere in the legal process. The PPP breached that part of the Constitution many times.

Mr.T
Cheddi Jagan erred by not putting those in the prior PNC in jail for corruption and fraud. That mistake bred the current corruption we see today. No, Cheddi Jagan was not corrupt but his inability to make an example out of those that were allowed it to be a more acceptable issue, to the detriment of Guyana. Granger should take a different approach and send a message that it will not be tolerated.
FM

This chap Jagdeo along with his merry band Ramsammy, Ramotar, Anil Nandlall and  Manickchand will not rest until the country is completely destroyed.

 

Everything out of their mouths posted on their facebook pages is absolute filth complete with distortions and nonsense purely designed to incite hatred and fuel more violence.

 

Jagdeo is a narcissist aided by a bunch of willing brigands who are no strangers to criminal activity and they are intent on destroying Guyana. As Guyanese we have a duty to stop these folks. We need to take a minute and really ask ourselves why are we allowing people like Jagdeo and this gang of thieves to carry on with this nonsense? Why? 

FM

I VOTED FOR THE PPP/C AT 6.15 THIS MORNING I SAW AN APNU+AFC STRATEGY TO CREATE CONFUSION

I voted for the PPP/C this morning. I am confident that we will keep the CUP held high. I am confident of victory today. Our supporters should stay calm and relax at home. We will win and we will demoinstrate our strength. Today, I expect that APNU+AFC will threaten and make as much confusion as possible. But we have a mighty weapon – our freedom and our pen. Putting those Xs in the box next to the cup is mightier than all their threats and all their intimidation.

Their strategy is clear – threatening, intimidation, abusive and loud. But no fear – by voting we stop them. 
At 5.45 I showed up at my polling station. There are several polling stations at the Campbelville Secondary School. I went to my station where there were three people in the line before me. Suddenly a man appeared that he was a supervisor for APNU+AFC. He created quite a lot of noise that polling cannot start until he said so. Apparently, the APNU+AFC polling agent was not being allowed in the room because she did not produce her GECOM ID Card. She produced the GECOM letter of appointment. But not her card.

They were all the things we heard they would do – loud, threatening, intimidating and abusive.
After quite a scene, the APNU+AFC polling agent produced her GECOM ID Card which she had with her all along, but which she initially did not produce. My feeling was that the APNU+AFC representatives were trying to create a problem deliberately. 
I watched the GECOM staff intently. They were professional and at no time buckled under pressure. They insisted they will follow rules and will only allow persons with the proper credentials in the room. They stated that they will not be delayed and that if a properly-credentialed party representative was not available, they would start the process at 6.00 am.

The APNU+AFC senior person was apparently a military officer and used threatening words, including that they would not allow any person to vote until they were the representative was allowed to enter. He was maximally loud and abusive. At no point did he seem ready to reasonably engage the GECOM staff.

When they saw that they could not bully the GECOM staff, they suddenly produced a GECOM Badge which they had stated they knew nothing of. She was then allowed in and the process started. 
The first voter that entered was at the wrong place. She was told she had to go to another station. After making a quiet fuss, she left. She was told by a GECOM outside staff who had a computer that she was listed at another station right in the compound, but she insisted she wanted to vote at this particular station. She left, but came back within three minutes and stated that GECOM was frustrating her. The Officer asked her if she knew what station she had to go. She told them what station and the GECOM staff again alerted her that the station she was at was the “C” station. She again left insisting that GECOM was frustrating her. She seemed uncomfortable with what she was doing, but was clearly following instructions from someone.

Clearly a strategy was emerging that APNU+AFC had deliberately established a strategy to frustrate the process. 
However, everything was soon smoothed out at this station and the first voter actually casted her ballot at about 6.05. I was the #4 voter and it took less than a minute to do so. There was already a long line and most people were orderly and in good spirits. 
But the same crew that came and misbehaved moved on to another station and they were loud and disruptive. The loudness of their quarrels, whatever they were quarreling about in the compound, continued as I left.

But Guyana’s freedom and democracy was on show and at least for the few moments I was there at the polling station, I saw a GECOM staff that seemed ready to face the challenges of the day. Clearly, there will be challenges and we hope all parties cooperate. If they all do, I expect that we can be proud that since 1992 we have kept Guyana’s elections free and fair.
At 6.35, I started my journey to Skeldon, an area where today I would spend much time ensuring that our supporters go out to vote and they are able to do so freely and fairly.

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
May 11, 2015

FM

More than likely this is another lie like the kwame lie where they are constantly repeating in the press that he was assaulted by opposition supporters. This lie has been exposed in a surgical way by the opposition and social commentators.

 

Only Saturday last at the Lusignan Rally, and indeed throughout the election campaign, I said that these elections are about the protection and preservation of freedom and democracy. I said that, the opposition has a history of utilizing violence, fear, and intimidation as the cornerstone of their political armory. As night follows day, and even before the close of polls, they unleashed a campaign of intimidation, fear, violence and terror at hundreds of polling stations th...

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 — with Yog Mahadeo and 73 others.
Mohabir Anil Nandlall's photo.
Mohabir Anil Nandlall's photo.
Mohabir Anil Nandlall's photo.
 
FM
Last edited by Former Member

Take a read, Joe Hamilton the house of israel man and Edghill the fake bishop were at the epicenter of this mayhem.

 

Sophia riot mars E-Day success

Barricades which were later removed by the police

Barricades which were later removed by the police

… house, 6 vehicles burnt

 

BY ALEXIS RODNEY

 

Residents of C Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, erupted on Monday evening, transforming the community into a virtual warzone over allegations of electoral impropriety by a political activist.

In the ensuing battle, five cars, one minibus and a house, along with a horse stable were burnt. The violence targeted People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) member Narine Kooblall.

Residents stormed Kooblall’s home, attempting to set it ablaze, and although almost two dozen Police Officers were on scene, they failed to contain the angry crowd. Kooblall stood motionless in his neighbour’s yard, where he and his family members sought refuge through the back fence that was destroyed to ensure their safety. He was adamant that the allegations were untrue and could not understand the reason for the rage.

One of the cars on fire

One of the cars on fire

His escape opened the doors for massive looting of his home which also housed a grocery shop in the lower flat by residents. The house was in utter confusion, and millions of dollars in valuables including household items and groceries from the shop, were taken away. During the ordeal, some five cars along with a minibus were destroyed by fire, along with a house and a nearby horse stable.

When Guyana Times arrived on the scene sometime after 21:00h, the fires were already burning with huge barricades which Police immediately removed. Shouts of “we want our boxes, we want our boxes”, infused the air. Residents were in defence mode, and many challenged the Police to remove the “boxes” from Kooblall’s home.

Although warding them off, broken bottles were loosed in the direction of Kooblall’s home and up to press time, the Police, along with approximately 30 odd soldiers who later arrived on the scene could not keep the residents from venting their anger.

At the scene, PPP/C’s Executive member Joseph Hamilton said unlike the allegation of ballot box tampering made by residents, Kooblall’s home was being used as the command centre for campaigning in the area. However residents said that the home was being used as a polling place and that persons had gone there to vote on Election Day. Hamilton explained that he was assigned to the area to lead the team there. He said for the last three weeks or so, he along with other supporters has been working in the community at that residence.

The mob attempting to burn the home of PPP/C supporter Narine Kooblall

The mob attempting to burn the home of PPP/C supporter Narine Kooblall

“Today, like all other days, we brought persons here, gave them their kits so that they could go as polling agents”. Hamilton said sometime around 17:30h on Monday, persons that he knew, stopped his bus in front of Kooblall’s residence, alleging that his home was a polling place. He said the individual continued spreading the rumour to all passersby. It was not long after that hundreds of residents began converging at the front of the residence and began their protest.

According to Hamilton, persons came out from as far as Albouystown and other parts of Georgetown and joined in the rioting. He said members of the Alliance for Change (AFC), including Raphael Trotman and Freddie Kissoon were present as the rioting unfolded. Hamilton further stated that he invited Kissoon into the station, to see how things were going. Several other leaders were also invited into the makeshift office.

According to him, the persons spreading the rumours were also invited into the man’s home to make checks for themselves, which was done. “They left and this continued. So the vehicles are damaged… They continued, Police came and tried to deal with the situation”. Up to the time Guyana Times left the scene some two hours after, no member of the People’s National Congress-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change was present.

FM

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