Dear Editor,
I refer to the letter titled ‘These allegations against the PPP/Civic have to be disposed of before country can move forward, let’s get on with the audits’ (SN, September 9).
Former prime minister Sam Hinds wrote that “…I was so hurt…by all the false allegations…that I found myself angered beyond recognition.” Now Mr Hinds is an honourable man; despite an initial hesitancy, I still attach that descriptive in a spirit of excessive Christian generosity. He is an honourable man, and should be listened to. In the same vein, I appeal to him (and his clean comrades and the citizenry) to lend ears in listening, too, to what follows.
During an extended tenure on Wall Street, inquiries would come in from American colleagues, who once worked with me or for me, and were now at other large investment banking houses. As part of their Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer (KYC) due diligence, they paid close scrutiny to those identified as Politically Exposed Persons (PEPS). Now these fellows were doing just so, and were approaching because of a very specific reason. As soon as they came across “Guyana” on documents submitted by those seeking a business relationship, my phone rang. It rang more than a few times with questions about this or that name.
I submit to Mr Hinds that the names would be very familiar to him, as they were to me. Now Mr Hinds is an honourable man, and he is hurt and angry. I think I understand.
But so was I when I beheld the names and the amount of US dollars associated with each name. Remember this is Wall Street, and the bigger firms deal with high net worth clients and prospects; there is neither time nor interest in the impoverished. It was not worth the effort.
In my own disturbance and infuriated state, I asked myself where and how these officials gained access to this kind of money. Earning? Savings? Inheritance? Family support? I came up short on all fronts, except the obvious, the reasonable, and what was left.
Editor, Mr Hinds should know that his hurt and anger pale beyond that of others (especially mine) when I saw the numbers and heard the names. There were so many grotesqueries as to have a year of nightmares. Such is the extent of what I saw and I am only one man, who happened to be well positioned to hear the lurid details. I think that that was/is the tip of the iceberg, and it was a lot.
Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall
