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Greene was bad for drugs-fight; good for street-crimes- Wiki-leaked US cables

Written by Demerara Waves
Friday, 02 September 2011



Police Commissioner, Henry Greene
Western Nations had threatened to withhold key security cooperation fromGuyana because they could not trust Henry Greene as Police Commissioner due to his alleged links with the drug underworld and inability to protect sensitive information.

“Greene’s new position will have consequences on foreign assistance involving the GPF,” Charge D’Affaires, Michael Thomas said in a July 24 cable that was Wiki-leaked late Thursday night.

The cable from the American embassy here questioned Greene’s confidentiality and labeled him as “crooked” and “grossly incompetent” when he was Crime Chief.

“He is unwilling or unable to protect sensitive information or to fulfill straightforward extradition requests. Greene as Commissioner would be bad for Guyana’s security and would compromise all international cooperation with the Guyana Police Force.

Greene, whose American diplomatic and tourist visas were revoked in days leading up to his July 24, 2006 appointment as acting commissioner has already publicly denied benefiting from the proceeds of drugs. None of the cables released so far has disclosed specific cases of Greene’s alleged criminal activities.

US laws bar the American government from releasing reasons for visa revocations or denials to third parties like the media. But one of the cables says Greene cried when he was told that his visa was being revoked on July 20, 2006 because of information gathered by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

“Greene broke into tears when informed of this, fearing the embarrassment the revocation will cause, and denied involvement with drug trafficking. He expressed surprise that the revocation was not due to his “troubling the girls”,” the cable states.

One of the cables noted that the DEA had given specific language to inform President Jagdeo that the Greene had benefited from drug funds. “U.S. law enforcement has reliable reports from multiple sources that Henry Greene has benefited from, and continues to benefit from, the proceeds of drug trafficking.”

The cables reveal a flurry of shuttle-diplomacy by the American, British, Canadian and European Union envoys here to Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon and President Bharrat Jagdeo to “head off Greene’s appointment before his swearing-in within the next few days.”

The cable titled “GOG picked crooked police chief despite revoked visa” states that due to Greene’s appointment the US is not pushing ahead with a plan to establish a DEA vetted anti-narcotics unit under Greene’s commissionership. Moves by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to install a gun-trace computer terminal to help the GPF track firearms had been also pulled back.

Similarly, British High Commissioner, Fraser Wheeler had told President Bharrat Jagdeo thrice between July 21 and 24 that the UKgovernment had “concerns about Greene’s elevation” and pre-2006 election training for the police force would have been quashed. The Canadian High Commissioner also told Charge that his government will cease all cooperation with the police if the Greene appointment goes through, states the cable.

But in another cable titled ‘Police Commissioner Greene: Give us Barabas’, then Ambassador David Robinson credited Greene with better dealing with street crimes and that the United States would eventually have to work with the police force under his stewardship.

“Henry Greene is corrupt but he is more effective than his predecessor in controlling the streets. The president is happy in the role of Pontius Pilate and is betting that the donors ultimately will work out some accommodation with the commissioner. He is probably right. We will not rehabilitate Greene, but we will have to cooperate with his police force if he becomes permanent,’ states Robinson in the cable.

The US, according to the cables, appeared upset that Jagdeo and Luncheon had lured the diplomatic community into believing that once Greene’s visa had been revoked his appointment would have been reconsidered.

“This contradicts what he told Charge — that revoking Greene’s visa would give the GoG cover to back down. Luncheon and Jagdeo have been disingenuous throughout this episode, especially in protesting they were unaware of our concerns about Greene,”

Jagdeo had told diplomats that he had been under intense political pressure to stick with Greene but, according to one of the cables “the source of this pressure is unclear.”

The cables released quote the Ambassador as alleging that Greene was linked criminal activities. “Greene’s name appears repeatedly in reporting by various USG agencies in connection with criminal activities,” he said.

The ambassador had told government officials that the US government could not have provided details but “it would be very embarrassing for the GoG if a sitting Police Commissioner were indicted in a foreign court.”

Then Home Affairs Minister, Gail Teixeira, described as the “voice of reason” in the Guyana government had described to diplomats “in some detail her struggles to get Jagdeo and Luncheon to come around to her point of view” concerning Greene.

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Concern about Acting Police Commissioner
----------------------------------------

¶6. (SBU) Crime Chief Henry Greene was elevated to Acting Police
Commissioner following the retirement of Police Commissioner Winston
Felix on July 24. The appointment marks a setback for victim
sensitization efforts. Of particular relevance to the TIP community:
Police sources report Greene has sexually assaulted several police
women during his tenure as a senior officer, and he has used his
rank to prevent victims from pursuing charges. Post is concerned
about Greene's disposition toward the Guyana Police Force's anti-TIP
and victim protection/advocacy efforts should he ultimately be
confirmed as Police Commissioner.

¶7. Post point of contact on Trafficking in Persons matters is Edward
Luchessi, Economic/Commercial Officer, tel: 011-592-226-4309,
e-mail: LuchessiEP@state.gov.

THOMAS
FM
Explosive US cable on WikiLeaks reveals…Jagdeo pushed US to revoke Greene’s visa
September 3, 2011 | By KNews | Filed Under News






An explosive US Embassy cable released by whistle-blower website, WikiLeaks, has essentially linked Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene, to the drug trade and said he broke into tears when he learnt his visa had been revoked, back in 2006.
The cable sent to the Department of Justice in July 2006 by Michael Thomas, Charge d’Affaires of the Georgetown US Embassy, also said that the insistence of the Guyana government to appoint Greene despite being warned revealed a stubborn streak in President Bharrat Jagdeo.
The subject of the classified cable was “GOG (Government of Guyana) pick crooked police chief despite revoked visa”
Thomas, in the cable, also opined that the appointment of Greene would bring critical international assistance to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to a halt.


Police Commissioner Henry Greene
“This issue reveals a real stubborn streak in Jagdeo — he is doggedly sticking with Greene, knowing that he is corrupt and incompetent – that doing so strains Guyana’s security situation and its foreign relations, and imperils GPF operational efficiency.”
Days before government appointed the Commissioner, Thomas met with President Jagdeo to convey Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)-provided language regarding Henry Greene’s alleged ties to narco-traffickers.
Three other major embassies were also heavily concerned and representatives of their missions accompanied the US Charge d’Affaires to a meeting with Jagdeo, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon and Foreign Minister, Rudy Insanally.
These included the UK, Canada and the European Union Chiefs of Mission.
During that crucial meeting, it was clear to the foreign officials that the Guyana government had already committed to naming Greene as the Top Cop and was not readily inclined to back down.
UNHAPPY JAGDEO
The Charge d’Affaires, according to the cable “repeated for Jagdeo’s benefit what Ambassador Bullen had told Luncheon July 12 (2006)– that Greene’s name has appeared repeatedly in reports from various USG (United States Government) agencies — and that as Ambassador had promised, we had sought authorization from U.S. law enforcement agencies to pass on some of that information.”
President Jagdeo, according to the cable, reacted badly.
“He complained in strong terms that the USG “never” shares intelligence information and had not said anything before about having concerns with Greene. He went so far as to tell Luncheon to stop all GoG intelligence sharing with the Embassy.”
Jagdeo reportedly admitted that it would be difficult to refuse to appoint Greene since the announcement had already been made. It was made clear that if the U.S. were to take some action, like revoking Greene’s visa, it could provide the GoG the needed cover to reconsider the decision.
Two days after that meeting, the US Consul revoked Greene’s previously-issued B-1/B-2 visa based on the DEA information.
GREENE’S TEARS
“Greene broke into tears when informed of this, fearing the embarrassment the revocation will cause, and denied involvement with drug trafficking. He expressed surprise that the revocation was not due to his “troubling the girls”.
The cable noted that the allegations of rape have dogged Greene throughout his career.
“Insiders tell us that the victims include at least five policewomen. Greene uses his rank to intimidate victims into not speaking out, but his behavior is widely known within the police force.”
Despite the visa revocation, the Guyana government insisted that the US had withheld compromising information about Greene’s alleged “drug ties’ and made it clear that Guyana would move ahead with plans to elevate Greene to Acting Commissioner.
The US tried in last-ditch attempts to convince government that appointing Greene was not advisable.
The Charge d’Affaires on July 22nd, 2006, met with Luncheon who “appeared uncomfortable and defensive talking about Greene. He accused the U.S. of essentially wanting a veto over Guyana’s police and army chiefs. He lamented that the Office of the President does not have hard evidence of Greene’s wrongdoings, reiterating that the GoG (Government of Guyana) cannot act on the basis of rumor. The idea that the USG has better information on GoG officials than he does clearly gets under Luncheon’s skin. He tried to dismiss Greene’s tarnished reputation, saying that all senior GoG officials have skeletons in the closet.”
DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE
The US Embassy in its analysis of Greene’s new position felt that will have consequences on foreign assistance involving the GPF.
“UK High Commissioner Fraser Wheeler spoke with Jagdeo three times between July 21 and 24, 2006, to convey Her Majesty’s Government’s concerns about Greene’s elevation.
Wheeler told Jagdeo that he had an offer to provide the GPF with pre-election security training, but cannot go ahead if Greene is top cop. Jagdeo replied that he is under intense political pressure to stick with Greene.”
“The source of this pressure is unclear. In fact, Post (the Embassy) has yet to hear anyone defend Greene as a qualified, deserving candidate for the Commissioner job. The Canadian High Commissioner also told Charge that his government will cease all cooperation with the police if the Greene appointment goes through.”
The US Embassy in the cable was harsh in its description of the Cabinet of government ministers.
“At times, Jagdeo comes across as a practical, level-headed leader — meaning well but hampered by a cabinet full of old party cronies. At other times, however, Jagdeo seems enamored by the image of Guyana as victim — a poor, little country pushed around by the rich powers. In such instances, he lashes out at diplomatic pressure and makes decisions like this one that are, frankly, bad for Guyana.”
FM
Yes Jagdeo did this because this was the PPP's way of controlling the police if they have a commissioner of police that is corrupt this way they can manipulate them. It is quite interesting how all these things are coming back to bite them in the behind.
J
Prince posted:

The Prince believes Jagdeo was and always be a crook. You can't erase the stripes from a zebra. 

Is a FREE Country people can believe anything

 

Sara, Lara and LARWA spent 4 years and hundreds of millions and found LARWA

 

Buddy Sheik is a next Larwa

Nehru

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