Dear Editor,
It was with much amazement that I watched the recent press conference with Clifton Hicken and Wendell Blanhum. I did not expect much from both men about the police response to the indictable allegations made by Detective Sergeant Dion Bascom against senior members of the Guyana Police Force in relation to the execution of Ricardo Fagundes called Paper Shorts. Halfway through the programme I wanted to turn off my electronic device as it was lies, lies, and more lies. I, however, saw the confabulation to the end. It was like an elephant going into labour and giving birth to a mouse. Several persons have since descended on the press conference with devastating effect. I did my own analysis of the fiasco and discovered to my chagrin that there were more questions than answers and the more I find out the less I know.
During his opening spell Wendell Blanhum delivered the ball of the match. “To debunk false allegations made by Dion Bascom.” That laid the foundation for the rest of the play. The police made a horrible attempt to discredit Bascom. Here are a few comments I wish to posit: Confidentiality went through the window. Wendell Blanhum stated that he got information about involvement of Rondel Bacchus in the Palm Court execution of Paper Shorts from well-known convicted felon Roger Khan and his attorney-at-law. He exposed his source of information. He threw them under the bus. He left them open to threats to their lives. He could have said that he received information from a credible source, thus protecting his informants. But he did not stop there.
He mentioned that he also got information from a senior officer in prison based on chatter at that institution. No wonder when citizens have actionable intelligence they are reluctant to pass it on to the police for fear that their protectors will say who gave them the information, like what the head of CID posited. He sprang into action almost immediately on the information he received. How can a station diary at CID HQ confirm that Sgt Dion Bascom was not telling the truth that that he took Rondel Bacchus to CID HQ? Sgt. Dion Bascom was in close contact with a prominent businessman from Essequibo and the police suspected that he was not operating professionally with the businessman. Yet, Sgt. Dion Bascom was transferred to Essequibo where the businessman has massive financial operations. Who facilitated the transfer?
Is it true that a senior detective at CID HQ has a special relationship with a female attorney-at-law who does a lot of work for a very successful business entity located at Lombard Street, Georgetown? I observed the demeanor of Clifton Hicken and Wendell Blanhum. Their kenesis told a story. They appeared to be tense, scared and just anxiously waiting for the activity they were instructed to conduct to come to an abrupt end, which is what happened. Clifton Hicken attempted to calm down a certain member of the media by referring to him as his friend. That ploy did not work. The damning allegations made by Sgt. Dion Bascom caused me to reminisce about what happened over fifty years ago at the Knapp Commission 1972 in the United States of America. Detective Frank Serpico testified about corruption in the New York Police Department (NYPD).
He broke down the blue wall of silence that encourages officers not to speak up when they see another doing something wrong. His testimony rocked the foundation of the NYPD and caused massive reform in that department. Here are two excerpts from the testimony of Detective Frank Serpico. “When questioning me they were trying to prove what I was saying was untrue rather than taking an attitude to allow me to help them in the investigations.” He advised the NYPD thusly, “Create an atmosphere where corrupt officers fear honest officers and not the other way around where honest officers fear corrupt ones.” Editor, do you see any similarities in Guyana? Sgt. Dion Bascom’s limbs and life are in constant peril. He needs urgent and adequate protection for himself and family. Remember what happened to George Bacchus of Princess Street, Georgetown.
He was due to testify at the Disciplined Forces Commission during the crime spree popularly called the Troubles. Yes, he was murdered at his home before he could have testified. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, several decades before, Frank Serpico (alluded to above) received a bullet in his head after his colleagues “set him up’ during a drug operation. His two partners abandoned him. Surprisingly, NYPD awarded them medals for bravery. Serpico survived to testify. NYPD later awarded him the Medal of Honour. I again make a clarion call for the establishment of an independent commission to inquire into allegations made by Sgt. Dion Bascom and a separate investigation into the execution of Paper Shorts. Both police and members of the public must be given the opportunity to testify. Hope that at least one Serpico will emerge. You cannot do effective policing without God. May God help the Guyana Police Force.
Sincerely,
Clinton Conway
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Ret’d)
