Dear Editor,
Former President Jagdeo’s recent arrest, along with other key former government functionaries by members of the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), will go down in history as one of the most unfortunate yet avoidable events in Guyana’s history.
James Gerald Warner of Craigenmaddie, a Scottish journalist, once said “We should be long past applauding politicians of any hue…they got us into this mess. The best deserve a probationary opportunity to prove themselves; the worst should be in jail.”
Invariably, the police do not go to a person’s comfort zone to conduct interviews and take statements when there is an accessible police station within reach. If it is determined that the party or parties, who are the subjects of a police investigation, do not wish to fully cooperate, the police have the power of arrest. The latter was effected by SOCU on Tuesday, March 7, in relation to the Sparendaam (Pradoville 2) land allocation investigations.
The Pradoville 2 issue has attracted the ire of the Guyanese populace, many of whom struggled under the PPP/C regime to pay for basic house lots. It was one of the main election campaign themes of the APNU+AFC coalition. It has been a front-burner item for the coalition government’s drive to reverse misfeasance by members of the former regime ever since coming into office in May 2015.
Mr Jagdeo, when questioned by media operatives after his arrest and subsequent release at SOCU headquarters, said that he refused to answer certain questions regarding Pradoville 2 that were directed to him by SOCU officers. He said he opted to invoke his immunity as a former President. While that may be Mr Jagdeo’s entitlement or prerogative, his action may suggest that he is not as genuine as he previously said towards cooperating with law enforcement agencies now tasked with investigating the Pradoville 2 matter.
Mr Jagdeo and his colleagues are not oblivious to implications of the Pradoville 2 investigation. They have a battery of energetic legal minds at their beck and call. Some of those legal minds seem to be very au fait with progress in the matter or lack thereof.
Mr. Jagdeo’s current tangential approach and failure to disclose any or all facts known to him may throw a new twist to things.
Yours faithfully,
Orette Cutting
