No one was forced to do anything

Dear Editor,
PLEASE allow me space to comment on a statement made by Sir Richard Cheltenham on Forbes Burnham when he commented on his flawed Commission of Inquiry.He said that Mr. Burnham had people forced to clean trenches, etc. That alone shows that he came with his own conviction. Burnham taught us the true meaning of patriotism; no one was forced to do anything. He made a plea to the citizens to co-operate and build Guyana, and many of us obliged (thousands).

Some people alive today can remember how we cleared the Mahdia jungle for the road and township by self-help. Planeload after planeload of self-helpers from all races and places in Guyana did their bit. There were never any fighting or racist taunts thrown by anyone to anybody.

I was there. It was a joy to behold Guyanese awaking at 3 am to shower each morning, take breakfast, and, without any complaints, board the trucks to complete another day’s work. When transportation was slow we walked.

There were never any slackers or lazy persons to deal with. Every man was his brothers’ keeper. Some persons made more than one trip. Such was the inspiration of Forbes Burnham.

Perhaps it would have been very challenging for Sir Richard Cheltenham to experience the advanced Guyana campaign, where thousands of persons were given implements by the campaign to do self-help cleaning throughout the country. A great success for reference: the business community donated money, implements and materials; and at the end of the day’s exercise, everything was accounted for.

I would advise as a taxpayer that Sir Richard Cheltenham and his team not be given any payment for their blatant disregard of Guyanese intelligence.

For far too long, our country has been raped by crooked individuals, and our birthright has been given away. We take it as a personal insult that these people have not been brought to justice. It is an insult to the memory of Forbes Burnham. That commission was so afraid of defence counsel that it was loath to call the witnesses of substance. Exposing them to Basil Williams would have been detrimental to the Commission’s preconceived findings. Only those who were controlled by the State were called as witnesses.

Isn’t it funny that Rabbi Washington’s thug was highly elevated in the previous government, and Rabbi himself was freed?

Mr. Williams destroyed the credibility of the witnesses set up against the defence, and put probable cause on the shoulders of the architects of the commission.

My honest opinion is that they could not compile a report, and had so many extensions because of the brilliant mesmeric defence of our young Attorney General, who was a joy to listen to. Those old fogeys were taken to a place way beyond their intellect, and were in a state of confusion. The hunted became hunter.

Hats off to Basil! You have made me proud to be a Guyanese. When they come on our turf they must be prepared to do battle, and not dribble.
Regards,
M. BACCHUS

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