Guyana Observer News

 By Freddie Kissoon

In a forthcoming column, I will hint at possible investigation by the US Government into what is taking place in Guyana. At last, the US Government may take a look. The news is pretty optimistic. So wait for my announcement on this page. Why would the US Government decide to look into what is taking place here? Very few human beings in this world are stupid enough to do things that are egregiously unacceptable to the human spirit and are nasty violations of the laws and openly do it. Human beings are not so unintelligent. If they were, civilization simply would have died hundreds of years ago. In Guyana, civilization limps along. Horrible illegalities are just never hidden. They are openly displayed for all citizens to see. The trouble with immoral power in Guyana is that for some reason of psychic contortion, the power-wielders just don’t hide their injustices.

The Director of Public Prosecutions yesterday filed a motion in the High Court, seeking to set aside Justice Bovell Drakes’s order to grant bail to murder accused Treon Sumner. However, because of a technicality, the motion was withdrawn and is scheduled to be re-presented today. Sumner, along with Squincy McLennan, is facing a High Court trial for the murder of Odinga Bryan, which occurred six years ago. Yesterday, as the in-chamber matter was called before Justice Diana Insanally, Attorney at law Basil Williams represented the accused, while attorneys Anil Nandlall and Manoj Narayan, appeared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Police on Wednesday evening granted station bail to the senior Customs Anti- Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer who was held in connection with the 50lb cocaine bust at the JFK airport earlier this month. Stabroek News has been reliably informed that the officer, who is the unit’s operations supervisor at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, was granted $50,000 station bail. Efforts to contact Crime Chief Seelall Persaud on the issue yesterday were futile. However, this newspaper was told that mere hours after the officer – who was sent on leave since CANU and police launched a joint investigation into the matter – was arrested, he was granted bail. The cocaine, which was conveyed in a pink suitcase checked in by Dorothy Sears who is now in custody in the US, slipped past officials at the local airport but was intercepted when the Delta Airlines flight touched down in the US.

Barticians plan to shut down the community on Monday in protest at a government proposal for six-months notice before mining can commence but Minister of Transport, Robeson Benn says that this is “misguided” and restated that the administration will do nothing to impair the industry. Amidst growing concern over the six-month waiting period, this week residents of the Region Seven mining town gathered at a series of meetings to oppose the proposal they say will wipe out the small and medium scale gold-mining industry. “Ninety-five percent of people around here depend pon mining”, said one miner. “Look at what happen in Linden with bauxite, all the people without jobs. That’s what we trying to avoid in Bartica”.

 De courts in confusion. A judge grant a man bail fuh murder and start some argument that even Bharrat nearly get involve. This man get charge fuh killing somebody and dem hold he a few months later. Now this judge claim that de man been in jail too long. He order de DPP fuh bring some people fuh he try. Well dem boys seh that from now any judge can call fuh try any prisoner. Dem had another thing that sound like confusion. A boxer name Sharon got to stop boxing. She had to get a hard cuff while she was training. At de pre-fight press conference, this boxer claim how she sympathise wid de people of Italy fuh de earthquake that dem suffer. Then she claim how de people of Italy is Caribbean people and how Italy is a member of Caricom.

Freddie Kissoon will be Benschop's guest this evening on "Straight Up"  Time: 7pm (Guyana time) go to benschopradio.com  and click on MediaPlayer.

 By Freddie Kissoon

This is what I wrote about the consistent accusations of Ravi Dev who contended that my columns are contributing to a state of incitement against the Government in what Dev says is a “combustible political atmosphere.” In my column of Tuesday, January 12, “Who are the drummers of war?” I emphatically proclaimed that my article will be followed by another accusation by Dev but no answers to my questions. I was right. There was a meticulous, careful avoidance by Dev in his piece the following Sunday of all the questions asked of him. This is what I wrote in a letter in the Kaieteur News (Jan 17) about Dev’s frenetic refusal to answers questions put to him; ‘Dev’s Sunday column may be on me again and he will reply to this letter. I take the boldness in saying that none of the incitements mentioned here will be dealt with by Dev.” So did I predict Dev correctly? Dev’s politics is so propagandistic that he is the easiest person to predict. Yes, I was right. I was a hundred percent right. Ravi Dev never replies and answers questions of racism and dictatorship by the PPP Government. Let me quote from his piece last Sunday. Sad to say it comes across pathetic and silly.

Martin Atherley is seeking justice for his wife who died last September. The man said that he was interested in having closure to his wife’s death. His wife was newspaper vendor, 59-year-old Veronica Atherley, a West Coast Demerara resident, who died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on September 4, last after sustaining a gunshot wound to her hip on August 29, last. A licensed firearm holder had opened fire on two robbers and missed his target. According to Atherley the businessman responsible for his wife’s death exchanges money on America Street. He said that the matter was in the hands of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and to date no pronouncement has been made on the matter.