THE Ministry of Home Affairs said, yesterday, it is not spellbound by the disclosure, in the Monday, July 16, 2012 Kaieteur News front page story, about alleged wrongdoings by some ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the ministry, with respect to an auction of police vehicles on March 23, 2012. A press release said the uncharacteristic claim, by Kaieteur News, that it was not made public “since the authenticity of the information was being verified”, is laughable to say the least.
“Since when does Kaieteur News make effort to verify the authenticity of scoops?” the ministry asked.
The ministry said it stands by every word in its press release issued on July 12, 2012.
The ministry emphasised that the Kaieteur News whistleblower is “no mystery man” and is well known at the Ministry.
“Only a few weeks ago, he was on the phone to the ministry, enquiring about the status of the investigation into the alleged wrongdoings in connection with the same auction,” the Home Affairs Ministry pointed out.
The release said all the documents on the matter, that he left with the ministry, are in the hands of the police since April 2012, when the Ministry of Home Affairs, under the hand of the Permanent Secretary, formally, wrote to the Commissioner of Police requesting “a full and immediate investigation” into it.
The release said, as far as it is concerned, whether the exposure resulted from a whistleblower, Facebook, Office of the President, the Ministry or the media, the fact of the matter is that information surfaced alleging wrongdoing at the auction of vehicles belonging to the GPF.

UPMANSHIP
The ministry said it made it clear that it is not in the game of playing upmanship nor jostling for press coverage when addressing such matters.
“It does not matter who did it, what is important is that it came to light and the ministry responsible demanded an investigation.”
The ministry said yesterday’s Kaieteur News front page story exposed, once again, its cloven hooves.
“It was a brazen attempt, by Kaieteur News, to cover up for those who were involved in the wrongdoing and those who are paid in exchange for information about the Guyana Police Force.
“It is no secret that the Kaieteur News pays cash in exchange for information about happenings within the Force,” the Ministry said, adding that, while the newspaper wants people to believe it is fighting corruption, it is, in fact, encouraging it within the Force, by offering “big bucks” in exchange for information about happenings within the GPF.
The release noted that: “Try as desperately, cynically or cleverly as it may, every reader of the Kaieteur News knows that that newspaper offers cash for information about the Guyana Police Force. To try now to cover up for its corrupt concubinage with some ranks within the Force by floating its whistleblower and by making the public claim that the Ministry of Home Affairs attempted a cover-up, the matter will convince no one.”
The Ministry declared that Kaieteur News likes to pride itself by strutting around claiming occupancy of all the space for bad news in Guyana, leaving the space for good news only to the government.
“But this will soon evaporate leaving the Kaieteur News less and less space to flaunt everyone else’s dirty linen except itself,” the release concluded.