The Alliance For Change (AFC) is urging the administration to finance the UK-based forensic team identified by relatives of the eight miners slain at Lindo Creek.
Since the meeting between President Bharrat Jagdeo and AFC Leader Raphael Trotman last week, the party said, the administration had failed to secure the services of a US forensic team, and “a credible one with impressive credentials has since been located so the administration must now act”.
Declaring its full support for an independent investigation to be conducted by Forensic Science Service (FSS) of the UK, the AFC said yesterday at a press briefing, that President Jagdeo had expressed exasperation at the fact that there has been no response to the request for a US forensic team and that he had asked for the AFC’s assistance in locating such expertise.
On another front, a letter was dispatched to Commissioner of Police (ag) Henry Greene from the law firm Hughes, Fields and Stoby, whose services have been retained by relatives of the eight miners, informing him of the availability of the UK team. Included in the request was permission for the experts to conduct an independent review and analysis of any evidence retrieved from the crime scene or associated with it.
Attorney Nigel Hughes yesterday followed up the matter with Commissioner Greene urging in a letter that his firm’s invitation to retain FSS be accepted.
“This would address our clients’ fears about the daily degradation of the crime scene and the integrity and reliability of any investigation conducted after the expiration of three weeks from the date of the incident”, Hughes said in his letter yesterday.
Trotman told reporters yesterday that the party has since made contact with the owner of the mining camp, Leonard Akorium and his attorneys and has been privy to correspondence, which discloses that a forensic investigative team based in the UK is available and ready to travel to Guyana at a moment’s notice.
“This is a premier forensic team based in the UK and utilized by the security forces there whose credibility cannot be disputed. We support this effort and call on the government to prove its sincerity and bona fides by financing the arrival and work of this British team,” Trotman said, reading from a prepared statement.
He said that the party would be contacting Jagdeo shortly to advise him that a team has been identified and should be funded by the government. Trotman noted further that the relatives of the eight victims deserve closure and the right to hold funerals while the nation was entitled to know the truth.
Deliberate
According to Trotman, the country cannot wait any longer for a team to come in while the administration keeps mum. This, he said, will in fact force people to conclude that there is a deliberate attempt to cover up what happened at the mining camp so that the perpetrators are never known. He noted that waiting fuelled the speculation and the government could not use Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee to tell people not to speculate when it was keeping quiet.
“Already there has been a cover-up of the torture allegations levelled earlier in the year against the GDF and we just will not allow another cover up of what may very well turn out to be a security operation gone horrifically wrong,” the statement said.
Asked about the time lapse since the bodies were discovered and the presence of any useful clues for forensic evaluation, Trotman said, the sanctity of the camp has been lost but noted that a forensic expert should have the opportunity to pronounce on this. He said that only an expert would be able to determine whether there were any deliberate attempts at any cover-up and end whatever speculation surrounds the killings. Trotman added further that some basic clues might still be there which a forensic team could work with.
Acknowledging that the AFC had failed to elicit a commitment from President Jagdeo at the meeting last week for a Commission of Inquiry into the murders, the party cited several circumstances which demanded such a probe. These included: the location of the camp relative to the reported hideout of the `Fineman’ Rawlins, conflicting reports as to whether the passengers of a hijacked bus knew of the Lindo Creek incident and from whom and the burning of the bodies.
Camp owner Arokium says he is convinced that the killings were carried out by the security forces. His son and brother were murdered in the attack. Those who were killed at the site were Dax Arokium, Cedric Arokium, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres.
The AFC leader also referred to what he said appeared to be strained relations between the US and the local administration noting that the President needed to shore up his government’s relationship with Washington when he returns from Antigua. Trotman said the relationship might be strained for a number of factors including the apparent reluctance to cooperate with the US on extradition requests in addition to providing certain information.
He added that for one government “to refuse or to act or to display little alacrity whilst processing the request raises serious questions as to the level of the friendship indeed and suggests that is it not as amiable as is being made out.”
Further, it could not escape notice that even prior to and after disclosing evidence in the Roger Khan trial the US government has failed or refused to share such information with the administration even after an official request was made, he said.
The AFC has five seats in Parliament.
My fellow bloggers
This administration has lost international credibility.. The U.S government does not share information with the guyanese government because of lack of trust.
The U.S government has information that can sink this administration ..I can further suggest the Roger Khan saga has alot to do with it.
ALL THOSE PPP SUPPORTERS YOU NEED TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE FRESH COFFEE. THIS ADMININSTRATION CAN GO DOWN AS THE MOST IMCOMPETENT, AND DIVISE ADMINISTRATION IN THE HISTORY OF GUYANA.
SOON THE PPP AND THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WILL BE WALKING HAND IN HAND..
I think you made a mistake… there is no fresh coffee to speak of!
It’s the stench eminating from this regime that the PPPites seem not to smell.
They probably think it’s the raw sewage overflowing along Regent and Water Sts.
The voting along ethnic lines will bring another of the same old nonsense.
The masses have to vote for a government of inclusiveness, open to all Guyanese and transparency is the key.
i reckon the US sun has gone to your head you are purely speculating and no evidence .
the us govt have just given $4.5 million towards the health in guyana if you were talking the truth why are they still helping guyana !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
check the credibility of the american administration by the rest of the world.guyana is now reaping what was planted by the pnc.when criminals were given heroes funerals and attendance by an expresident was the begining of all this lawlessness.and all these unmotivated killings{lusignan/bartica].its plain to see these are efforts to destabilise the country and government.
…… to all who make this forum so interesting with the thoughts expressed ,, i am never ceased to be amazed,, truegt so far has chosen the most intelligent reason for not wasting any money for forensics,, the elements that is in the pic of contamination at this stage is overwhelming,, what should have been implemented was to take from the GPF when the PPP took office the best intelligence ,, — if there were any — and send them to the best forensics school ever ,, mediocre minds and visionless people who because they are loyalists have been given management positions ,,
evidence of the rule by — as he was royally addressed — the “kabaka” lingers and is the single most effective form of destabilisation of the PPP by the pnc and those who make statements here that reflect this ,, criticisms are an absolute right of any people to demand change of the govt ,, or the policies of the govt who in fact lose the thought immediately after being sworn in that they are in office to manage the peoples affairs ,, the sad fact of the matter is ,, many millions was ,, spent since since during the days of “odo ” another royal name for burnham ,,on training for friends and family of the “clique”many never returned ,, theyabsconded ,, and those who completed the education came back and eventually left ,, some of the brite minds who contribute here may have answers why they left ??? lets face it ! what is unfolding in GY is the direct result of the corrupt practices of the examples set by burnham ! the man who stole a whole country and then with the help of his group of marauders destroyed the said country with his ” midas touch “……..
please my people let commonsense prevail and let peace and love reing.
SO AROKIUM decides to give the woman and the man, who called him before the discovery at Lindo Valley, the benefit of the doubt when these two people said it was the JS even though they had to know who killed whom and where they were killed.
It is obvious that this woman and man are eyewitnesses AT THE POPULAR LOCATION OF LINDO VALLEY. Or, this woman and man are in bed with the killers and rang AROKIUM just to spread fear in Guyana.
Then Arokium decides to hire private practice to do a forensic on the bodies. Since he does not trust the work of the JS how can an overseas forensic expert who would report to whomever pays him prove to Arokium that it was not the JS?
You obviously do not understand what is happening in Guyana:
Lets see, RECENTLY:
There has been the British High Commissioner saying that they will create a way to help Guyana economy expand.
Then there is the recent Canadian High Commissioner also alluding to the same things.
Then there is IDB debt write off (read: American debt write off).
Then there is the UN sending a “conflict “resolution person this month to Guyana on a fact finding mission.
ALL of this sounds to me like this Administration in Guyana is getting a lot of overseas help in ensuring stability in Guyana.
THE Diplomatic Community does not rely on locals for their ADVICE. When the PNC writes to the State Department about a suspected misdeed by the Administration the State Department contacts its Embassy in Guyana and ask for their input.
FYI such statements and action are a normal part of a foreign consulate’s operational mandate in its host country. Britain or Canada’s HC can say anything in the interest of good PR and this is the stuff of successful annual reports. Further, Guyana is only one of many states that will access debt write-offs this year. Big deal. So too with the UN which has sponsored so many fact-finding missions that all this points to is another ‘expert’ getting a ‘fat’ fee to write up ‘facts’ that are there for all to see.
There is an Embassy in Guyana and hundreds of citizens visiting every year. I do not assume that name tags are always worn. And I believe that the report is essentially factual, if not understated.
IT is the recent arrest/deaths of child killers from Buxton that did it. It showed conclusively that what was being said before was accurate:
1) Buxton played an important part in an African Guyanese Armed Reisitance.
2) The children of Buxton were being used as lookouts by the gunmen.
3) Certain politicians and Civil Leaders were in cahoots with these gunmen thereby giving the resistance support.
4) The African Guyanese Armed Resistance was using child soldiers.
5) The actual members of the Resistance were not allowed to come and go as they please.
YOU ARE RIGHT MR. TROTMAN, THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS THAT THERE IS NO AMIABLE (FRIENDLY OR LIKABLE RELATIONSHIP) BETWEEN THEM AND THE UNITED STATES.
MR. JAGDEO AND HIS GOV’T ARE PLAYING GAMES. MR. JAGDEO KNOWS FULLY WELL THERE IS NO HELP COMING FROM THE U.S.A. UNCLE SAM HAS NO TIME FOR JAGDEO.
THE GUYANA DEFENCE FORCE HAS THE NERVES TO TELL THE MEDIA AS FOLLOWS:
“THE GUYANA DEFENCE FORCE SAYS IT STRONGLY ADVISES ALL MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA AGAINST FUELLING SPECULATION REGARDING THE TRAGEDY LAST MONTH AT LINDO CREEK THROUGH THE PUBLICATION OF UNFOUNDED OPINIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.”
AS I SAID YESTERDAY, “GET OUTTA HERE AND BE FOR REAL.”
“THIS IS THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY, WHO THE HELL DO YOU GUYS THINKS Y’ALL TALKING TOO? WE ARE CIVILIANS SIR!”
“FREEDOM OF EXPESSION!” WE DO NOT NEED DICTATORSHIP IN GUYANA. WE NEED DEMOCRACY!
TELL YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF TO FINANCE THE UK-BASED FORENSIC TEAM IDENTIFIED BY RELATIVES OF THE EIGHT MINERS SLAIN AT LINDO CREEK, OR GIVE THE FAMILIES PERMISSION AND ASSISTANT IN THE INVESTIGATION.
TO MACKYDOG, WHAT’S UP I HAVN’T HEARD FROM YOU IN AWHILE NOW? THE USA CELEBRATES THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY TODAY, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO ALL OF YOU HERE IN THE UNITED STATES .
I KNOW YOU’RE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE DOING THAT BAR-BE-CUE STUFF, READING AND LISTENING. YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU COULDN’T REMEMBER ABOUT THE LINDEN HIGHWAY TORTURING OF THE MEN BY THE HANDS OF THE GDF OFFICERS. HERE IS A MEMO: ACCORDING TO MR. TROTMAN STATEMENT, READ AS FOLLOWS:
“ALREADY THERE HAS BEE A COVER-UP OF THE TORTURE ALLEGATIONS LEVELLED EARLIER IN THE YEAR AGAINST GDF
AND WE JUST WILL NOT ALLOW ANOTHER COVER UP OF WHAT MAY VERY WELL TURN OUT TO BE A SECURITY OPERATION GONE HORRIFICALLY WRONG.”
NOW YOU KNOW THAT THE ARMY HAS A TRACK RECORD OF HUMAN
TORTURING. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT?
I’M CALLING YOU OUT FROM HIDING MACKYDOG…LOL.
I AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE.
Please my friend look at the track record of uncle sam’s troops abroad–InAfganistan,Iraq,Central America etc.Nothing can compare to their torturous conduct in “bringing democracy “to nations.The GDF and GPF are mandated to protect the vulnerable against those who seek to strike terror and fear.As far as i am concerned they should be applauded and encouraged to continue their good deeds.”SO ARE YOU WITH US OR AGAINST US”
I applaud your tenacity. However, certain animals are best kept at bay.
It’s like donkeys, you got to let them bray!!!
Hey owenon123,
What’s up yo…I’m here still, has been travelling around the East Coast (NYC, MD, VA and Miami) a bit so I was preoccupied otherwise. Thanks for hailing me up, I appreciate the invitation to answer you.
Well yeah the holiday is here and a happy 4th to you too, been dealing with the BBQ and stuff – you know.
Actually no, I really didn’t hear of the issue on the Linden H/way earlier in the year so I don’t know. On second thought though, according to you, this whole accusation as quoted above came from Raphael Trotman and he’s the PNCR. Honestly, I do not trust these guys for a second and so, because it comes from him, I’d say it’s politics as usual. What would anyone expect from the opposition PNC and PNCR.
The army does not have a track record about torturing…not that I have heard of before this particular accusation came up and IF it is true that the soldiers “tortured” anyone, it would be the first time that has happened, and a first time incident is not considered as a “track record”.
My thoughts on the issue of the soldiers torturing anyone, if that has happened is that the soldiers did what they had to do to extract info from murderers who had info on the raids on Lusignan and Bartica by Fineman and his group of murderers. Owenon123, this is not a joke, this is serious business, these murderers running around with AK-47 guns and killing ppl wantonly HAD to be stopped…by all and any means necessary, and so if these murderers were “questioned unconventionally” then that’s what it had to take to get them to squeal. The good news is that none of them died, as compared to the days of the PNC during the Burnham error, (if you don’t know you will know now) anyone entering “flat house” (Special Branch opposite QC on Camp St.) for questioning never came out alive…furthermore some never resurfaced and is missing till now. Like I said, this is not a joke…to me these murderers of innocent women and children deserved nothing less IF they were tortured.
Owenon123, MACKYDOG don’t hide bro. I’m always here and I can’t be rebutted.
I heard you Mackydog but we’ve to put those days behind us and stride towards the new days ahead of us.
Yes, they could interrogate without burning people to get the truth. Those men weren’t charged with any crime nor committed any crime mackydog.
In fact, if the Gov’t and opposition party don’t stop the animosity against each other then Guyana is not going to move forward and be a prosperous nation. We need to put an end it such thing.
No! Asking GoG to pay would negate the entire investigation. An independent inquiry should be just that – independent. If GoG pays, then naturally it would get first dibs at the final report and then decide if or when to release it. What about setting up a fund for the victims’ families to offset the cost?
The GOvernment should not pay:
Because any person can then hire their own private investigators to do research work then pass the pay check over to the Government.
DO YOU THINK THOSE FAT FEES applies to the USA drugs report on Guyana especially when the USA had no local personels on the ground?
Ok, regardless to all of that torturous stuff. Are you trying to compare Guyana to the US where democracy is concern?
The Gov’t of Guyana does not have any Ethical Judgment whatsoever for the people on Guyana.
Of course I’m for the US, I’m living here right, and regardless of what you are saying I do get justice here because there are system in place where I or anyone that lives here could find moral judgment.
I am also for Guyana but I cannot live there under those circumstances.
Why are you living in Canada?