Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06GEORGETOWN725 2006-07-24 21:24 2011-08-30 01:44 SECRET//NOFORN Embassy Georgetown


henry greene your days are numbered you low life negroe criminal
VZCZCXYZ0010
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGE #0725/01 2052124
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 242124Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3830
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0981
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0354
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0136
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 2164
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL

S E C R E T GEORGETOWN 000725

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

WHA/CAR
INL/LP
DS/IP/WHA
DEPT OF JUSTICE – OIA FOR PPETTY, OPDAT FOR RLIPMAN
CARACAS ALSO FOR LEGATT AND DATT
PORT OF SPAIN ALSO FOR DEA AND A/LEGATT
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2016
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PINR PREL KCOR GY
SUBJECT: GOG PICKS CROOKED POLICE CHIEF DESPITE REVOKED VISA

REF: A. STATE 118421

¶B. GEORGETOWN 708
¶C. GEORGETOWN 704

Classified By: Charge d’Affaires Michael D. Thomas
For Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

¶1. (S) SUMMARY: The GoG moved ahead with its plan to elevate
Deputy Commissioner Henry Greene to Acting Police
Commissioner, despite his visa ineligibility for involvement
with drug traffickers. Greene assumed his new position July
¶24. Greene’s elevation will bring much international
assistance to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to a halt. This
issue reveals a real stubborn streak in Jagdeo — he is
doggedly sticking with Greene, knowing that he is corrupt and
incompetent, that doing so strains Guyana’s security
situation and its foreign relations, and imperils GPF
operational efficiency. END SUMMARY.

——————————————— ————–
July 18: U.S., UK, Canada, EU Discuss Greene with President
——————————————— ————–

¶2. (S) Charge met with President Jagdeo July 18 to convey
DEA-provided language regarding Henry Greene’s ties to
narco-traffickers. At their request the UK, Canada and EU
chiefs of mission accompanied Charge to reemphasize their own
governments’ serious concerns about Greene. Jagdeo had Head
of the Presidential Secretariat Roger Luncheon and Foreign
Minister Insanally with him.

¶3. (S/NF) Charge repeated for Jagdeo’s benefit what
Ambassador Bullen had told Luncheon July 12 — that Greene’s
name has appeared repeatedly in reports from various USG
agencies — and that as Ambassador had promised, we had
sought authorization from U.S. law enforcement agencies to
pass on some of that information (ref C). Jagdeo claimed
that Luncheon had not briefed him on this. Charge read him
the DEA-provided language: “U.S. law enforcement has reliable
reports from multiple sources that Henry Greene has benefited
from, and continues to benefit from, the proceeds of drug
trafficking.” Jagdeo reacted badly. He complained in strong
terms that the USG “never” shares intelligence information
and had not said anything before about having concerns with
Greene. He went so far as to tell Luncheon to stop all GoG
intelligence sharing with the Embassy. At a couple points
when Jagdeo was catching his breath, Charge reiterated that
we, UK and Canada had in fact expressed our concerns about
Greene in the past on several occasions and at senior levels
of the GoG. Charge expressed USG’s desire to continue
cooperation with the police, but explained that in addition
to legal complications, many types of cooperation would not
be prudent if Greene became top cop. Jagdeo said they had
announced Greene and will move forward with him, and that’s
final — in October, after elections, the GoG will consider a
permanent successor.

¶4. (S) The conversation moved to more congenial topics before
Charge reengaged Jagdeo on the Greene issue. Then Jagdeo, in
a more amiable tone, admitted that rumors abound about
Greene, but implausibly maintained the GoG does not have
anything solid they can use against him. He said the
situation is difficult because they have already announced
that Greene will move up. But if the U.S. were to take some
action, like revoking Greene’s visa, it could provide the GoG
the needed cover to reconsider the decision. Luncheon then
reminded Jagdeo that although Felix starts pre-retirement
leave on July 24, he technically remains on the job and could
be called back to duty.

¶5. (S) After taking leave of Jagdeo, Luncheon pulled Charge
aside in the hallway and reiterated several times that it
will be difficult to rescind Greene’s advancement after the
end of this week. Luncheon indicated that if they soon
learned that Greene’s visa was revoked, they would prevent
Greene from taking over from Felix.

——————————————— ———-
July 20: Department Concurs, Post Revokes Greene’s Visa
——————————————— ———-

¶6. (S) Consul revoked Greene’s previously-issued B-1/B-2 visa
July 20 based on information recently developed by DEA and
with Department’s concurrence (ref A). He is ineligible
under section 212(a)(2)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act. Greene broke into tears when informed of this, fearing
the embarrassment the revocation will cause, and denied
involvement with drug trafficking. He expressed surprise
that the revocation was not due to his “troubling the girls“.
(Note: Allegations of rape have dogged Greene throughout his
career. Insiders tell us that the victims include at least
five policewomen. Greene uses his rank to intimidate victims
into not speaking out, but his behavior is widely known
within the police force.)

¶7. (C) Charge was unable to speak with Jagdeo, Luncheon, or
Minister of Home Affairs (and voice of reason in the GoG)
Gail Teixeira July 20 but received a letter from Luncheon
late in the day. The letter reprised Jagdeo’s accusations
that the USG withheld compromising information about Greene
until the eleventh hour. The letter made it clear that the
GoG would move ahead with plans to elevate Greene to Acting
Commissioner.

———————————-
July 21-24: GoG Sticks with Greene
———————————-

¶8. (S) Charge spoke briefly on July 21 with Luncheon, who
explained that the GoG was proceeding with its announced
decision to elevate Greene. The following day, Charge met
with Luncheon for a broad ninety-minute discussion. Luncheon
appeared uncomfortable and defensive talking about Greene. [propaganda note: luncheon and green went to queens college together and are very good friends for life]
He accused the U.S. of essentially wanting a veto over
Guyana’s police and army chiefs. He lamented that the Office
of the President does not have hard evidence of Greene’s
wrongdoings, reiterating that the GoG cannot act on the basis
of rumor. The idea that the USG has better information on
GoG officials than he does clearly gets under Luncheon’s
skin. He tried to dismiss Greene’s tarnished reputation,
saying that all senior GoG officials have skeletons in the
closet.

————
Consequences
————

¶9. (C) Greene’s new position will have consequences on
foreign assistance involving the GPF. Post does not
currently have any programs with the GPF that fall under the
Foreign Assistance Act or the Arms Export Control Act.
However, there are other types of assistance that it would
not be prudent to implement as long as Greene is in charge.
For example, DEA told Post it cannot proceed with
establishing a vetted anti-narcotics unit if Greene is
Commissioner. Also, the ATF is pulling out of its scheduled
installation of a gun-trace computer terminal to help the GPF
track firearms. Post will continue to evaluate carefully all
proposed cooperation and interaction with the GPF — to
determine how it will advance USG interests and how the
public will interpret it.

¶10. (S/NF) UK High Commissioner Fraser Wheeler spoke with
Jagdeo three times between July 21 and 24 to convey Her
Majesty’s Government’s concerns about Greene’s elevation.
Wheeler told Jagdeo that he had an offer to provide the GPF
with pre-election security training, but cannot go ahead if
Greene is top cop. Jagdeo replied that he is under intense
political pressure to stick with Greene. The source of this
pressure is unclear. In fact, Post has yet to hear anyone
defend Greene as a qualified, deserving candidate for the
Commissioner job.

¶11. (S/NF) The Canadian High Commissioner also told Charge
that his government will cease all cooperation with the
police if the Greene appointment goes through.

——-
Comment
——-

¶12. (S) It now appears that Jagdeo and Luncheon did not
seriously entertain the idea of calling off Greene’s
appointment as Acting Commissioner. Immediately after
Charge’s July 18 meeting with them, Jagdeo informed EU
Ambassador that the decision was made and final. This
contradicts what he told Charge — that revoking Greene’s
visa would give the GoG cover to back down. Luncheon and
Jagdeo have been disingenuous throughout this episode,
especially in protesting they were unaware of our concerns
about Greene. Earlier in the year, Charge, UK and Canada
High Commissioners had long discussions with Teixeira
regarding Greene. Teixeira has described in some detail her
struggles to get Jagdeo and Luncheon to come around to her
point of view. Ambassador made USG concerns extremely clear
to Luncheon on July 12; UK and Canada High Commissioners did
the same with Jagdeo on July 12 when informed of the GoG’s
intention to elevate Greene.

¶13. (S) Comment continued: The path forward looks tricky. We
now turn our attention to limiting the damage Greene causes
and pushing for an effective permanent Commissioner to be
named quickly after the elections (slated for August 28).
Luncheon, clearly a Greene protector, may not be around long
after elections (ref C), but Jagdeo poses his own problem.
At times, Jagdeo comes across as a practical, level-headed
leader — meaning well but hampered by a cabinet full of old
party cronies. At other times, however, Jagdeo seems
enamored by the image of Guyana as victim — a poor, little
country pushed around by the rich powers. In such instances,
he lashes out at diplomatic pressure and makes decisions like
this one that are, frankly, bad for Guyana. End comment.

THOMAS