Dear Editor
1. CGID has criticized Minister Simona Broomes for her involvement in the incident at the New Thriving Restaurant parking lot with security guards, Robert Goodluck and Hash Ramroop from KGM Security Firm. Our criticism is well-documented and publicised in Guyana, the Caribbean and internationally. I stand by that criticism. Minister Broomes was wrong to exit her vehicle, knocking down the barricades or signs and engaging in a confrontation with the guards.

2. However, the orchestration of nasty, sexist, mean-spirited defamatory attacks on the minister as a woman is not only hyperbolic, but has exceeded the realm of acceptable criticism. It is an abominable development that must not be tolerated. Let me be clear, I am in no way defending the minister or excusing her conduct. My contention is that the unwarranted personal attacks are disgraceful.

3. The video released to the public by the owners of the parking lot is inconclusive. It has no audio and only captures part of the incident. Therefore, the public cannot make an informed judgment based on the video.

4. This incident has caused Minister Broomes to come under intense scrutiny and public criticism; maybe rightly so, given her ill-advised actions. But shouldn’t all parties be scrutinized as is the norm in democratic societies? A cardinal principle of justice is that you must have clean hands in order to seek redress and remedies from the judicial process. One cannot steal a car and then take a man to court to recover it, if he in turn steals that same car from you.

5. Do the security guards have clean hands? CGID was advised by separate law enforcement sources that security guard, Robert Goodluck, may not be employed and licensed as an “armed” security guard under his true identity. CGID has seen documents that allege that Goodluck may have been convicted for possession of an illegal firearm in the United States and deported to Guyana, allegedly under the identity of “Robert Wren.” If true, how and when did he change his name to “Robert Goodluck?” Did he change his name lawfully? If so, when and where are the supporting legal documents? Could this be the reason for his alleged concealment of his true identity?

6. If this information is accurate, how was a person who was allegedly convicted of a firearms offence, who is also ostensibly a deportee, able to secure a police/security clearance to obtain a security guard licence and firearm permit? These are two separate violations of the law and severe breaches of national security for which the Police Commissioner and Minister of National Security must account. I hereby call on them to do so urgently.

7. CGID was also advised by law enforcement sources that the second involved security guard, Hash Ramroop, in his statement to Police, allegedly confirmed that Goodluck cocked his gun and placed it in an assault posture during the confrontation with the minister. If true, this potentially corroborates part of the minister’s account of the incident, which was reported in the press. The Police Commissioner must also clarify this contention.
8. CGID believes in fundamental fairness and equal justice for all. Fairness and the truth are essential principles of our justice system, journalism and the shaping of public opinion. Kaieteur Newspaper reported on July 20, 2018, that Minister Broomes has not shown up for police scheduled confrontations with the security guards. This report is false. CGID has confirmed that the Minister, at the request of the police, attended two scheduled confrontations along with her driver and attorney, but on both occasions the security guards failed to show up. The attached photograph shows the minister, her driver, attorney and police investigators at the Brickdam Police Station awaiting the guards who never showed up.

9. In the Kaieteur News article, one of the guards alleged that he did not attend a scheduled confrontation because his lawyer told him that the minister was unavailable to attend. Obviously, Kaieteur News published its article based solely on the third hand information from the guard and without verifying its accuracy. This is fundamentally unfair, irresponsible and malicious.

10. I reaffirm CGID commitment to fairness and equal justice under law. I’m aware of the multiple actors from the political opposition who are driving this story. However, Kaieteur News and other media have an obligation to be fair, balanced and professional when seeking and reporting the news. They must sift through the flit and propaganda to ascertain the facts and report those facts accurately. I reiterate that CGID is in no way defending the minister’s actions. However, we demand fairness in the investigative process as well as factual, balanced, professional reporting.

Regards
Rickford Burke
President
Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)