Ronald Daniels, an attorney with the law firm of Nigel Hughes has responded to my Monday column in which I put questions to the Younge family and made relevant criticisms of the deportment of the family. Before I reply in essence to Daniels, three positions of mine I assert with boldness.

First, I think there is extensive dishonesty in any Guyanese and foreigner who deny that the tragedy is not being exploited for narrow political purposes, some forms of which is barefaced and despicably immoral because the loss of life is not the issue for these people but political mileage.

Secondly, it is dishonest to deny that there are questions, some of which are humongous, about exactly what happened that day the girl was not accounted for. I will just cite two. There are videos and still photographs of almost everything on the day in question inside the hotel by the pool, some of which is being shared by the aunt but absolutely nothing on the search in the pool. Strangely, no one videoed or took out photographs of a frantic search by more than a dozen persons who were in the pool or those who jumped in.
Thirdly, it is again dishonest to deny that the Younge family is not opened to questioning about things they are saying and decisions they have made. I now confront the position on Mr. Daniels on my Monday column. I read what Mr. Daniels penned three times and there is no comment or criticism on the contents of my Monday piece.

Mr. Daniels thinks he is coming across as a moral crusader by exclaiming that the family is aggrieved and suffering and, therefore, I come across as crass. But there is no description from Daniels on where and what is my crassness and insensitivity. I assert that because of the tragedy, the Guyanese people, (to use Leonard Craig’s words on last Monday edition of the Freddie Kissoon Show) may have been given a free pass by the Guyanese people.
Guyana is bigger than any tragedy, be it Jonestown or the Mahdia inferno or the Adriana Younge drowning. The social integrity of Guyana must be protected. I believe things said by the girl’s mother and aunt are not pleasant and threaten the social integrity of Guyana. No matter how deep in your empathy for the Younge family, Guyanese have a sacred, deeply philosophical commitment to protect the country.

My criticism of the Younge family is based on my love for country and willingness to speak in support of the protection of Guyana. I believe one of two things surround the Younge family. Either they know that their daughter’s honour is being despoiled by anti-government political actors who want to milk their daughter’s death and they are helpless to tell these people to stop.

The alternative explanation is that the Younge family is part of the politicisation of the death of Adriana Younge. The questions are so large that they are bigger than the combined three great rivers of Guyana. The Younge family has to answer them. One is why Darren Wade was removed as the family lawyer or recused himself?

Secondly, is there any truth in the statement by Mikhail Rodrigues that there is an estrangement with the family doctor who witnessed the pathology? Thirdly, does the Younge family accept that in saying that there was infiltration in reference to the post-mortem they have besmirched the character of three top-class pathologists including their own pathologist from the US and their family doctor?
Fourthly, is the Younge family aware that when they open their mouths, especially mother and aunt and say some unpleasant things, they play into the hands of people not interested in how Adriana died but solely in their political agenda? For example, since the comment on “infiltration” of the post-mortem by the family, social media is awash with criticism that the pathologists were bribed.

Leonard Craig in reference to how the pathologists are being tarnished said that Guyana is a graveyard for professionalism, in that talented foreign professionals come to Guyana only to have their character destroyed. Mr. Daniels is a practicing lawyer. I hope one day he doesn’t have to face the unwarranted criticism that he sold out his client.

There is no other country like Guyana. The rumours and ugly theories are spreading like wildfire. My advice to President Ali is to invite the FBI because the facts surrounding the drowning will be competently researched by the FBI. One has to be naïve to think the FBI will not grill the family members. When that happens, a reverse volcano will erupt. Hope you understand what I mean by “reverse.”

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.