…the crime inquiry
Suddenly the Government’s all hot and sweaty about holding a “crime inquiry”. In fact, it’s now been “pluralised” into “crime INQUIRIES”!! One reason could be because of the indignation over the period the President picked to be covered in the inquiry: 2002–2009. It was immediately clear to one and sundry this would just be another attempt to throw shade at the PPP.
Serious crimes didn’t begin in 2002. But your Eyewitness accepts we need to have some cut-off point. So, he suggests if we really want to inquire into our crime history, why don’t we pick up from where the Rodney Inquiry left off?? That is, after June 13 1980. After all, that Inquiry did a good job about what really went down in the 1970s as far as crime was concerned, didn’t it?? It’s still fresh in people’s minds. But hold it!! The PNC wouldn’t like that!! Look how they refused to extend the life of the Commission. Or to have the Report debated in Parliament.
And why don’t they want to publicise that report? Because, dear readers, it exposed how the PNC was up to its neck in the instigation of the most serious crimes in Guyana – including murder most foul! Now don’t get your Eyewitness wrong…of course, like any other society, they’ll be folks who will commit crimes for reasons of their own. But that’s not what the Government is talking about. No siree Bob!!
The President’s already pronounced that POVERTY’s the reason for crime in Guyana. But a year ago, his Security Minister had proposed GREED as the mother of crimes. So your Eyewitness figures that was just because he was speaking from personal experience!! The time frame chosen also suggests the Government’s talking about political crimes – since that was the period of crimes following the Mas Jailbreak of 2002.
So returning to your Eyewitness’ suggestion, the post-Rodney assassination period Inquiry would shed some light as to whether the Disciplined Forces – who’d been ordered to do the PNC’s dirty deeds on the WPA – were the same ones who became the “kick-down-the-door” bandits starting, from the end of the Rodney period. Or rented their guns to those who committed the mayhem and murder amongst the populace. That would bring us up to 1989 when Hoyte reintroduced hanging which put a crimp on the kick-down-the-door bandits’ style!!
Then there would be the post 1992 elections violence that started with the attack on the elections headquarters while the vote were being counted. Then, of course, onto the open violence between 1998 and 2002 that accompanied the PNC protests.
But can’t have that. It would stain the PNC not the PPP!!
…sugar workers in the wind
They say elephants have loooong memories…but if the truth be told, they have nothing on the PNC when it comes to never forgetting! And don’t even THINK about “forgiving”!! Recently, GAWU’s been in the news…but it hardly compares to their actions in their glory years. WE could do worse than 1977 when they struck for 177 days to force the PNC – which had just nationalised the sugar industry – to recognise them as the official sugar union!!
But guess what the new PNC owners of GuySuCo did immediately after the strike?? They shut down the Leonora factory which had been the centre of the strikes both in 1964 and 1977!! Burnham didn’t forget!! And so we come to the present PNC Government and their callous treatment of sugar workers – of whom they’ve thrown 5700 into the streets. Want to know why? Just think of all the letters you’ve seen about how sugar workers “burnt canes” during the first PNC’s regime.
This PNC not only didn’t forget…they obviously believe revenge is best served cold!!
…sick ex-sugar workers
The folks in the PSC obviously never spent time in the sugar industry. They want to keep their “health centres” – which had two medicines, red and green – to treat ALL illnesses!
Now with the PNC, they’ll only have the green one!!
