MR DARREN Wade, an attorney, is known throughout Guyana for his politics of alignment. He is a committed person to the politics of the opposition to the PPP. Mr Wade’s politics has taken him into the area of free service in almost all the opposition-related cases since Roysdale Forde stopped his service after the last contorted PNC congress in which he was humiliated.
When one thinks of Wade, one thinks of any committed PNC leader in the PNC’s camp. But Wade has become a victim of the lunatic fringe and why African-Guyanese need to reflect on what happened to Darren Wade, is

because any decent PNC leader or PNC supporter who refuses to deny their humanity in preference to political extremism will become a victim the way Wade has.
The controversy surrounding Wade is a twin story. The other part is Dr Caleb Mc Cloggan. Both Mc Cloggan and Wade disappeared from the radar after the Adriana Younge family rejected the first autopsy. We don’t know why the family lawyer, Mr Wade, was replaced by Dexter Todd.

To this day, we don’t know because Mr Wade has not spoken out. But we do know why Mc Cloggan parted company because he has gone public with his frustration. He spoke to me. I haven’t his permission to speak, but I believe Dr Mc Cloggan acted professionally in his service to the Younge family. I believe Wade acted professionally as the Younge family lawyer.

I reject the sordid public comments about these professional men, but the sordidness has a sickening dimension and we can only analyse this dimension after what Mark Benschop did to Wade. I need to divert here and let the entire country know what I have written before on this page about the Younge family’s post-autopsy deportment.

I sincerely believed that grief had overcome the Younge parents and so one could have forgiven the wild, inciting statements from them. Over time, I am convinced that the Younge family extracted their grief from the situation and injected politicisation of the tragedy; by Younge family, I include the aunt. To date, the aunt and the Younge parents intend to continue to politicise the tragedy of their daughter. It is incredible insensitivity on the part of these people.

This politicisation has the potential to damage the professional career of a young doctor and a young lawyer. Chronicle columnist Leonard Craig, has put it over attractively. He said the Adriana Younge tragedy has turned Guyana into a graveyard for professional integrity. Three pathologists with international standing have had their credibility questioned.

Dr Mc Cloggan and Darren Wade have been tarred, so was a highly rated former RCMP expert. And the Younge family cannot be exonerated from this mess. I hope they know that I am not easily intimidated, so Facebook vilification of me is as they say in common parlance, “throwing water on duck’s back.”

I now return to the sordid dimension. Mark Benschop has joined the Younge family in their pursuit of Wade. But the PNC leadership and Nigel Hughes have not said a word in defence of Wade who is a faithful legal servant of the PNC. I like the post-congress attitude of Roysdale Forde. He said on the Freddie Kissoon Show that all the cases he did for the PNC since the 2020 election disaster was pro-bono. But Forde is gone.
Will Wade go? I listened to the accusations against Wade by members of the Younge family and although I do not know Wade up close and personal, I don’t believe one word. Here is my take on the alienation of Wade and Mc Cloggan.

I believe both men were asked to say politically charged things after the first autopsy and because they were devoted to the principles that guide their respective professions, they have been vilified.
When it comes to Wade, he has been sacrificed. The PNC needs the Younge tragedy to stay relevant. The AFC needs the Younge tragedy to stay relevant. Benschop needs the Younge tragedy to retain whatever listeners he has. Darren Wade then had to be sacrificed on the altar of politics. He has been crucified.

The logic of the situation is Wade versus the Younge family. But Wade’s service to the PNC has become collateral damage. Based on what was said about Wade on Benschop’s programme, the PNC must come to his rescue, but it will not. Wade must be sacrificed because after all we are in an election campaign. So, it was Benschop yesterday derogating Wade, then it will be Rickford Burke to be followed by David Hinds. African Guyanese listen up! Anyone of you could be next.

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.