Dear Editor,

New York press coverage of the Brooklyn trial that many here seem to think spells trouble for the government hardly ever mentions the name, Guyana. These news stories, and anyone can check this on the internet, barely mention Roger Khan, and when they do it is to say only that he has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. These unbiased news reports do not implicate the Guyana government in Roger Khan’s business.

This case is covered in the United States only because Khan’s former lawyer, Robert Simels, represented Henry Hill, whose exploits were the basis of the mob film Goodfellas. Simels also represented Kenneth ‘Supreme’ McGriff, a legendary gang leader accused of funnelling drug money into rap music label Murder Inc, and two former New York Jets players who have had a run-in with the law. Simels, who has been a fixture in New York courthouses for decades, is now himself on trial for obstruction of justice.

The American prosecutors apparently couldn’t care less about witness Selwyn Vaughn’s allegations about Guyanese authorities. They find him useful only for his testimony in their case against Simels. Some American news reports don’t even bother naming Vaughn, referring to him only as the “cooperator.”

It is truly amusing to see how some in Guyana are attempting to use the court case on an international level as leverage against the government. I hope they can cope with the disappointment of being ignored. Not everyone relies on the word of an admitted gangster; smart people wait for conclusive proof and evidence before making a determination. Judging from some of the comments in the local newspapers it is clear that this is a skill that some Guyanese are yet to develop.

Yours faithfully,
Justin de Freitas