Joseph Hamilton. Hamilton is also an ex-member of the House of Israel cult whose late leader David Hill alias Rabbi Edward Washington had publicly admitted to breaking up opposition meetings during the Forbes Burnham-led PNC administration.

The House of Israel

A fugitive from the US, David Hill, was given asylum in Guyana in 1972. He had fled Cleveland in 1972, while he was appealing conviction of corporate blackmail. Under a new name, Rabbi Edward Emmanuel Washington, he established a cult following of hundreds of members under a so-called religious organisation called the House of Israel. This cult, made up of Afro-Guyanese, bore striking similarities with that of Jim Jones' People's Temple. The House of Israel expressed its loyalty to the PNC and its members were involved in numerous violent acts against political opponents of the regime. Their actions included the violent breaking up of opposition public meetings, attacking anti-government demonstrations and working as strike-breakers whenever government workers went on strike for improved wages and better working conditions.

Murder of Father Darke

The year before, in May 1979, the Working People's Alliance (WPA), a small anti-PNC political pressure group, which was making inroads into the PNC Afro-Guyanese support, declared itself a political party with the primary aim of removing the PNC from power. The WPA, of which Dr. Walter Rodney, a renowned Third World scholar and historian, was recognised as leader, worked very closely with the PPP in organising the referendum boycott and in agitating against the PNC, even though it expressed tactical differences with the PPP in carrying out the struggle against the regime.

On the morning of July 11, 1979, the building housing the Ministry of National Development and the Office of the General Secretary of the PNC and the GUYSUCO building next to it were destroyed by fire. The government claimed that the fire was deliberately set and that the watchmen had been tied up and transported across Georgetown to a suburb on the East Coast, by men dressed in army uniforms.

Subsequently, Dr. Rodney and other leading WPA members, Bonita Harris, Kwame Apata, Maurice Odle, Omawale, Rupert Roopnaraine, Karen, de Souza, Walter Rodney and Davo Nandlall, were questioned by the police and subsequently charged with arson.

On the morning of 14 July 1979, the WPA leaders charged with arson appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate Court on Brickdam to answer the charge. A WPA-organised protest demonstration was mounted outside the court and numerous press photographers were observing and snapping pictures. Among them was Father Bernard Darke, a Roman Catholic priest, who also took photos for the weekly Catholic Standard, was also a high school teacher at the St. Stanislaus College located just across the street from the Magistrate Court.

Fr. Darke, taking his cameras with him, had gone to the college that morning and he took some shots of the WPA demonstration outside the Magistrates' Court and returned to the college. Shortly after, the WPA leaders, after being granted bail, were transported in a police van to the Camp Street prison where the police planned to release them away from the crowds.

The WPA demonstrators marched with their pickets along Brickdam behind the van, and as they passed the college, Fr. Darke came out on the street to snap more photographs. Suddenly, as the demonstrators passed the Brickdam Police Station, they were attacked by a group of young men, carrying staves, cutlasses and knives. The assailants were all members of the House of Israel. To escape the brutal attack, the demonstrators ran in all directions with many running into yards opposite the Police Station.

As people were attacked by the House of Israel thugs, Fr. Darke took photographs of what was happening. Then three of the gang turned on him and beat him with staves. As he ran towards the street corner, one of them then stabbed him with a bayonet in the back. Mike James, a journalist, and Jomo Yearwood, a bauxite worker, were also seriously wounded in separate attacks. Plainclothes policeman appearing on the scene fired two shots in the air to scatter the thugs and quickly made some arrests.

The police took Fr. Darke to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was given immediate attention. He was later transferred to the St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital and operated on by two surgeons to repair his damaged lung. However, at around 6:00 p.m. he died.

Subsequently, five men, all members of the House of Israel, were convicted in court for carrying dangerous weapons during their attack. However, they were given barely minimum fines. On of them, Bilal Ato, who stabbed Fr. Darke was charged with murder. His trial came up three years later and he pleaded "not guilty of murder" but "guilty of manslaughter." He was eventually sentenced by Justice Pompey to eight years in prison.

Joe Hamilton

Yes, when I kill a mosquito that sucks my blood.

Be careful, Joe hamilton likes blood.

November 28, 2011 is just six weeks away. Who is getting cold sweat?

November 28 is a day to bury the AFC/PNC/APNU once and for all.

The naming of PM candidate will be another grand slam for the PPP.

quote:

November 28 is a day to bury the AFC/PNC/APNU once and for all.

To the political wilderness..they will go...never to emerge ever

Joe Hamilton the PPP's House of Israel man has blood on his hands

Yall get six weeks more to rip down bill boards.

Joe will have the rest of his life to tell us how many Guyanese he ripped apart

I dont think the AFC is running scared we are still on message, we are not bussing in people to our meetings.

We are not holding rally's and discussing nothing of substance.

We are not lying about our opponents and we are sure as hell not getting in bed with any bloody handed individuals. dat is fo sho.

The P.P.P/C is showing videos and photos of the Guyanese populace present at the rallies....the nation is witnessing the enormous support for the P.P.P/C....the results of the upcoming elections may be getting clearer....the masses will endorse the P.P.P/C....thus ensuring Progress Continues

The PPP has blood on its hands albert blood

Guyana's President to be.....its inevitable Donald Romatar will be entrusted with the mantle of President of Guyana

The PPP has blood on its hands, the PPP/House Of Israel will not be allowed to bloody Guyana any further.

From early in the morn on the 28th November 2011...the Guyanese populace will turn out to all the voting stations around the country....to make their mark....Next to the P.P.P/C ...thus ensuring progress continues...

Guyanese do not want the house of israel / PPP