Dear Editor,
When the former President of the United States of America Donald Trump spoke about “Shit Hole Countries” Guyana obviously belonged in that category.
On my way to the airport to make a quick dash to Trinidad to attend the funeral of a dear colleague, I saw a little bit of the brazen corruption of the Police that is talked about at infinitum in this country.
On that particular morning on the highway, with sirens and horns blaring `get out of the way’ and with speeds way above the limit the cavalcade was heralding the return of one of the anointed on his way to Georgetown, their speeds forced us off the road.
As we resumed our travel, with a number of vehicles in front of us a Policeman appeared suddenly and flagged us down. The driver then engaged him in conversation, as to why we were stopped, he told the driver that he was speeding; actually doing 63 miles in a 50-mile zone. Which was not true of course. After their conversation the Policeman ordered the driver to surrender his book telling him to pick it up on his return, which meant for the rest of our journey the driver was driving without his licence.
At the Caribbean Airlines counter I was told that the Covid test that I had taken would not get me into Trinidad, according to the clerk I had taken the wrong one. I immediately called the driver who was not very far away. On our return he stopped at the station to collect his book, I decided that I would accompany him, as we entered the Policeman’s office or room, we found him alone and he immediately began speaking very loudly and aggressively, “I hope you come with some Grangers in your pocket for me,” he said, as he stared at the driver while holding the book in his hand; “talk to me, what you have talk to me,” he repeated, The driver told him that he had no Grangers. “What” he screamed”, well you better get some; all you taxi drivers always have money.”
The driver told him that he only had two thousand dollars, after glaring at the driver, he said, “put it there”, he said, pointing at the desk top, then he threw the book at the driver. We left the station, neither of us saying anything. For me I was totally amazed and dumbfounded; but what was most repugnant was how the Policeman completely ignored me as a witness in this shakedown. On our way the driver finally said, “five like me and he have ten thousand dollars, this is where we live.” As the guy on the programme “in the ring” says “them boys come back.” Yes back to the good old days.
Respectfully,
Milton Bruce
