Dear Editor,
The following quote is taken from an article reporting on an interview with Minister Sash Sawh’s brother-in-law (Sunday Stabroek, February 28): “Questions have been raised about the possibility of Khan’s phantom group being involved in the killing. A forest concession that Khan was on the verge of acquiring in the south of the country was withdrawn while Sawh was the Minister with responsibility for forestry.”
This thing about the forest concession being withdrawn had been widely rumoured. But at least this now provides a clue to investigate in a certain direction and also a motive for the targeting of Sash Sawh. Thanks to Stabroek News for putting this in print. Till now, it was only rumour.
The British, Canadian and US governments are very generous with their aid to developing countries like Guyana. They give millions of dollars each year. What we need in Guyana is a Commissioner of Police from Britain, Canada or the US, along with a few hundred senior and experienced law enforcement people to help revamp the Guyana Police Force and stop the burgeoning crime spree that goes unchecked. The biggest terror in the country is drug-related and non-drug-related criminals operating with impunity. And the utter failure of the police force to deal effectively with this reign of terror. When the British government offered help with millions in sterling along with personnel to revamp the police force, Dr Roger Luncheon announced that the offer had been rejected, calling it an encroachment on the nation’s sovereignty.
When President Jagdeo turned up with a begging bowl at the front door of Iran’s government, Dr Luncheon by his conspicuous silence says that this is not an encroachment on our sovereignty. The United Nations has been doing battle with Iran over what is believed to be the latter’s attempt and desire to build a nuclear bomb. The UN is imposing sanctions to try to force Iran to comply. Into this fray enters President Jagdeo, who signals he cares nothing about the stolen elections or the violent suppression of millions of protesters by Iran’s government. All he cares about, it seems, is getting a few dollars from a pariah government, in return for offering alliance and support to that government.
Well, nothing brings more dishonour and disgrace to the Guyanese nation – not just for approaching Iran with a begging bowl – but for trivializing the attempts by the UN to force Iran to turn away from a self-destructive path. Which is worse: rejecting the offer from Britain to reform our police force under the false pretext that Britain wants to compromise our sovereignty, or going half-way around the world to offer succour and comfort to Iran in its battle with the world community to build a nuclear bomb?
The Guyanese people should have no illusions in their minds about what President Jagdeo’s overture to Iran really means. Plain and simple. Siding with this pariah nation in its hour of need is central; obtaining a few million dollars is secondary – even if you have to throw cold water on the legitimate struggle of millions of Iranians for electoral democracy and the United Nations’ attempt to stop Iran from building the bomb.
Yours faithfully,
Mike Persaud
