– accuses U.S. of trying to influence appointment
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo, on Friday, broke his silence on revelations by Wikileaks about western nations denouncing the appointment of former Crime Chief Henry Greene to Police Commissioner on allegations that he had benefited from the proceeds of drug trafficking.

Although admitting that he is reluctant to remark on any information released by Wikileaks, the Guyanese Head of State gave his account of discussions that led to accusations about the Police Commissioner.
The President indicated that no evidence was supplied to him by U.S. government officials to dissuade him from appointing Greene as the Commissioner of Police, despite the allegations and accusations from Washington that Greene was profiting from the drug trade.
According to President Jagdeo, the US officials, who were later revealed to have spoken with drug lord Roger Khan in Guyana, approached him claiming to have information that Greene was the subject of investigation and thus should not be appointed to the post of Police Commissioner.
The Head of State said he then questioned the officials about the reason for coming forth with such information knowing that Greene was, at the time, already the appointed Crime Chief of the Guyana Police Force.

“I asked the gentleman from the US government…did you not see it fit all of these years to come and tell me that my Crime Chief was involved in drug trafficking?… It’s only now that he is going to be elevated to be Commissioner of Police that you see it fit to tell me,’” President Jagdeo told reporters.

The President said he subsequently requested that more evidence be provided to give credence to the allegations but after two weeks the officials returned claiming that the provision of such information was unauthorized.

President Jagdeo said he took umbrage to such claims, that the foreign officials would have the audacity to withhold information from a Head of State that is critical to their claims but, more importantly, information that would bar the promotion of a Guyanese citizen.

He said that it was at that point that the meeting ended, with him expressing the view to the officials that they are trying to influence the choice of a Police Commissioner, on the grounds that Greene may not be favourable to their interest.

“Often, it’s about who gives the most information to these foreign powers…You think we can do that in their countries? … but they wanted me to take a leap of faith in their words and not appoint a citizen of this country,” President Jagdeo said.