I WAS not surprised when I saw the front page headline of Guyana Chronicle of Monday, August 25, 2014, which read “Local publisher at centre of duty-free concession scam”. The local publisher named was Glenn Lall of the Kaieteur News.
However, I was aghast when I read the article and found that this self-proclaimed modern-day Robin Hood, who banters daily about fighting corruption, was in the middle of a scam, hemorrhaging from the Treasury in excess of G$100M.
This is a man who, by his own words, has dedicated himself and his newspaper (Kaieteur News) to wage war against corruption. In his own words, he says he does it for the “protection of the taxpayers”.
However, when examined, his own conduct cannot withstand scrutiny. In fact, he is very much guilty of the very thing that he claims to have declared war against. The bumper sticker on the vehicle reads “Say no to corruption”. Lo and behold! The very vehicle is the object of corruption!
Thus far, his name has been connected to backtracking and other nefarious activities; he was found stealing electricity; the City Council claims he owes millions of dollars in rates and taxes, and they have him in court; and now he is implicated in a duty free scam. This man and his newspaper ought never to speak about corruption.
I anxiously await the other crusaders against corruption speaking on this matter — the AFC (Alliance For Change), APNU (A Partnership for National Unity), Christopher Ram, Anand Goolsarran, Transparency International and others. I say to them that the Guyanese people will judge them harshly if they seek refuge in silence on this matter. After all, it is Glenn Lall’s newspaper that they frequently use as their forum to lecture to the world on corruption.
Lastly, I await the actions that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will take on this matter. I know of many similar instances when the vehicles in question were immediately impounded while the matter was being investigated. I see no reason why this should not happen in this matter.
FARUK MOHAMED
