– at varnishing the truth

Dear Editor
DONALD Ramotar’s letter, “Setting the record straight: Debunking fake news”, published in the August 10, 2018 edition of the Kaieteur News, is yet another valiant, but frantic and dishonest attempt by this former Head of State to defend to the last draw of his breath, his and Bharrat Jagdeo’s administrations from accusations of corruption.
This is the Communist way of presenting the “truth”, in its own version and style, regardless of the many glaring holes and hollowness that will inevitably ring true.

But it is incredible that after so many revealing audits, ordered by the succeeding David Granger administration, with their shocking accounts of mass financial irregularities, in addition to information received from credible international investigative bodies that point to where stolen assets and money have been stashed, that Ramotar et al are still claiming innocence.
Thus, for Ramotar to state in such an infernal missive that “During the period of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP/C) government, it was subjected to vile and consistent attacks about corruption,” is nothing short of reprehensible.
As he went on to say, “Most of the allegations were downright lies; some were half-truths (these are often worse than lies) and almost always they were distorted.
“The PPP/C has answered these accusations over and over again.”

Of course, these comments are meant for the Kaieteur News, which media house became a thorn in the side of the former PPP/C government, as it continued to expose the PPP/C government’s criminal plunder of the State.

It is the right of any media — once it is fair, balanced and objective, and functioning in the best interests of the people — to expose and take to task any government whose actions are predatory. For such is part of the functions of the media in a democratic State.
Of course, the PPP/C did answer “these accusations over and over again”, as Ramotar claimed. But the evidence was, and still is, there; and these form the reasons for legal proceedings brought against some of its high-ranking members so far.

This is the crooked narrative that is so constant about the PPP/C’s denial of its incontrovertible involvement in State criminality: “We ain’t do nuttin”.

Assuming that the above contention had been true, one should then wonder why there are objections; refusals, to be specific, from the general banking sector to give very vital information to SARA as requested.

Editor, the much-vaunted banking laws that govern confidentiality used to be invoked when information on a customer was requested; however, this has more or less been overturned in the face of new regulations that are now employed to investigate the pandemic financial crime of money laundering.

At least, banking houses abroad do cooperate quickly with investigating authorities, lest their reputation comes into disrepute.

These are the kinds of setbacks which Ramotar and the PPP/C continue to use to defend accusations against endemic corruption. But their judgment will come; of this I am quite sure. For there is no way that these high-state crooks should be allowed to defeat the course of justice.

Regards
Earl Hamilton