Dear Editor,
“The fear of the PPP’s cry of witch-hunt by the government has backfired with the LGE results. In what ways did the slow movement towards the prosecution of Jagdeo help the APNU-AFC regime? PPP supporters went out and voted in a contest in which the PPP got 29,000 more ballots than the Coalition in the total LGE. Did it occur to the Coalition that if Jagdeo was in the court with all the sordid revelations laid bare, then maybe the voters would have been disgusted?

“The longer the Government takes to haul Mr. Jagdeo before the courts, the easier it will become for PPP supporters to think that the regime is bluffing and that they haven’t got evidence against Jagdeo and that they are trying to intimidate the PPP. It is possible that kind of thinking was a factor in the LGE results? In most countries of the world, charges would have been laid against Jagdeo in the Pradoville 2 scandal. What is the Government waiting for? After ten months in power, the evidence is still not there? Now a new twist has entered the radio licence scam.”

The above is an extract from Freddie Kissoon’s column in Tuesday’s (yesterday) on-line edition of the Kaieteur News, headlined ‘Charge Jagdeo with abuse of power’.

This is yet another call for the Government to pursue legal action to satisfy a political end. Why should bringing charges have anything to do with elections’ results? Many of these calls have come from political scientists, who have never yet produced a single job for any Guyanese, but who wax poetic about their concern for the plight of the poor.

How can these “opinion sharers” be allowed to continue publicly encouraging the Government to pursue legal action against persons in pursuit of political support, rather than on the basis of strong evidence and sound legal advice?

Let me make it clear: Those for whom there is solid evidence of corruption must be made to face the law. But it is not for a few political scientists to decide on the evidence and the timing of charges, if any are to be brought. That is for the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide on.

In fact, political operatives, including elected officials in Government, should, and must, have no say in who gets charged and when. Rather than wax poetic continuously about charging “this and that body”, these opinion sharers should focus some attention on how the Guyana economy can be improved; how we can create jobs for our young people, provide training in new and relevant skills for our workforce, attract investment and bring modern and appropriate technology to the country.

I am also tired of reading in the press what are apparently leaked reports of the findings of various audit reports, CoIs and SOCU and SARU investigations. The President needs to bring the hammer down on those suspected of leaking these reports to the media. It makes a mockery of the Government when you read in the press that a vice president says he learnt of the appointment of a business advisor to Government by reading it in the press a day or two after that same advisor was named among persons who may have illegally and profitably disposed of land acquired from the former Government for housing development.

I am tired of all these leaked media reports of findings of wrongdoing. The only announcements there should be are those that inform that “today the DPP has advised that charges be brought against X, Y and Z for A, B and C.” Any reports of findings should be of jobs for our young people.

Regards,
WESLEY KIRTON