Dear Editor,
I was at pains to find a title for my letter today mulling over a few here and there but finding it difficult to settle on one fitting enough, however, sticking to the basic principles of the Language my English Teacher Reverend Britto would say to me keep it simple yet gripping, so I’ve decided to caption it “Less work for the police.”
Recent brutal slayings in Georgetown and elsewhere have opened up a whole new world of “criminal wonder” or a pandora’s box if you please. The trappings of these latest killings paint a mosaic in a grisly murder, mystery novel Guyana style. Grisly murder scene I would agree, but certainly no mystery to it. So what have we these recent days of bloodletting. For starters, recent killings paint the picture of how crude, severe and exacting the criminal underworld can be. It calls to remembrance words of the tune “bad boys bad boys what you gonna do when dey come for you”. Because this is exactly what appears to be taking place with “those boys.” It is clean up time! It is pay back time! I make mention of the Rodrigues execution and Marlon Letlow’s murder. I stopped short of mentioning Leadon Aaron’s name due to the fact that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. The torture/execution was not meant for him but as the saying goes you leave no witnesses. My sympathies go out to the relatives and friends of Leadon Aaron. But let me get back to my story, it is now common knowledge that all of the above with the exception of Aaron were close associates of drug kingpin Roger Khan. A notable feature of Khan’s recruits were young strong men of a certain ethnicity many of whom were ex-army or ex-policemen, persons who know how to shoot. He surrounded himself with these guys who would do anything for him just like the snap of a finger. Therefore, it is no secret why this man was a close friend of these men in uniform. From senior policemen to ordinary corporals they were all part of his drug empire. You have drugs you must have “protection” and there was no surer way to do this than by staying close to those boys in arms. No wonder there was the so called break in at the armoury not once but twice and the weaponry of that so called breakout is still in circulation.
The happenings in Guyana are a picture perfect story as was played out in Trinidad with the notorious Dole Chadee. Dole was a drug kingpin aka “businessman” par excellence. He was an illiterate who never worked in any legitimate job, yet he commanded an empire stretching as far as the UK. Khan, I learned, is such a “businessman.” He too had henchmen of a certain ethnicity around him. I remember the Trinidad years of Chadee as if it were yesterday with the opposition politicians accusing Basdeo Panday of being in association with Dole. There were drugs, there were murders and the foolish opposition just kept on pointing fingers at Panday. Even when Dole was incarcerated they said this was only a charade Dole would be out in no time; after all its an Indian Government and Indian Drug Lord. That’s the way they reasoned it. While Dole was in jail witnesses kept dying like flies approximately seven, if my memory serves me right. I remember the last witness killed, Clint Huggins, his bullet riddled body partially burnt mere minutes after his release from “police protection.” It sent shock-waves through the criminal underworld. There was pandemonium in Trinidad as persons asked the question who is next. Those killings came to an abrupt halt when the notorious nine were hanged, Dole included.
Now, the Guyana scene is no different. Present day happenings are the telltale revelation of the drugs trade and its crude method of justice. You partake of the goodies of the drugs trade and you suffer the consequences.
You see them driving around with big 4×4’s some with huge gold pendants “tawahs”. Don’t you think there will come a day when it will be pay up time.
The fallout from criminal empire deals are mean, cruel and brutal no one is spared even the attorneys are at great risk. That’s why Johnny Cochran in all his glory would not take the risk in representing Drug Lords.
Hear me and hear me well, as Brother Bob sang “There’s a natural mystic blowing through the wind … many more would have to suffer many more would have to die don’t ask me why.” I rest my case.
Yours faithfully,
Neil Adams
