Market Man: Hunting mythical witches or investigating real crimes?

Ever since it became apparent almost a week ago, that the coalition had managed to prevail against tremendous odds, it was foreseeable, that as the dust began to settle, we would see as is normal in politics, calls for “healing and reconciliation”. One particular subset of these calls is the caution against “witch hunting”. Some making this call are well-meaning (though uninformed), others however are cynical, self-serving and opportunistic. We need to straighten some sh!t out early and put this self-serving hypocrisy to rest.

The term “witch hunt” has its roots in the persecution of people (predictably – mostly women in the patriarchal medieval societies) on the suspicion of witchcraft and/or sorcery. And herein lies the fundamental sleight of hand. Witches don’t feckin exist. There ain’t no such thing as a witch. In modern political lexicon therefore, the term “witch hunt” emerged as a descriptor for political persecution of persons on grounds that have absolutely no reason. The behaviour of Joe McCarthy in the US Senate during the Cold War is a case in point, and in fact, the terms McCarthyism and Witch Hunting became more or less synonymous. A necessary condition for qualification as “witch hunting” therefore is the use of spurious, baseless and groundless accusation.

So let us clearly understand. Witch hunting applies to persecution – defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs”. In this regard President Granger must read the riot act to those Afro-Guyanese supporters of the coalition who are persecuting Indo-Guyanese. Nip that racist shit in the bud.

Witch hunting however most categorically does NOT apply to investigating, and if warranted, charging, prosecuting, convicting and jailing those who can reasonably be suspected of having committed crimes. And make no mistake, crimes have been committed. Serious crimes! These range from collusion in narco-trafficking, massive theft, malicious prosecution, rape and other serious sexual assault, pedophilia, assault and battery and outright murder. Authorities in Canada have found, after investigation, reasonable grounds to grant asylum to persons accusing the powerful of rape and sexual assault. Authorities in the United States have admitted into evidence, documents linking Dr. Ramsammy to the murderous spree of Roger Khan. It cannot be other than reasonable inference that Dr. Ramsammy did not act on his own. Another Ministerial culprit in the form of Ronald Gajraj was implicated in the murderous spree of the Phantom Squad, by an informant, himself conveniently murdered.
The Inquiry into this was itself only established under relentless pressure from the then opposition and the diplomatic community. Recordings exist of Mr. Nandalall admitting to “tek[kin] some money from de government” among other things. Recordings also exist of Mr. McKoy soliciting sex from a minor. There is the long trail of questionable dealings in the Ministry of Culture as there are others in sister ministries. Given the facts that are already in the public domain, it cannot by any stretch of imagination be “witch hunting” to subject the associated culprits to the scrutiny of law enforcement.

Are we to continue to have one law for the powerful and another for the powerless? Are we all not familiar with the usual story in the crime pages of some poor fellow being seen with some item by the police, and then charged and placed before the court as a consequence of being “unable to give a reasonable explanation” as to how the items came into his possession? Google that phrase – “unable to give a reasonable explanation” along with Kaieteur, Stabroek or Chronicle and see how many charges are proferred as a result of persons (exclusively in lower socio-economic status) being “unable to give a reasonable explanation” for possession of property. Why then is it “witch hunting” for us to demand that Jagdeo and his coterie of acolytes to “give a reasonable explanation” as to how they came to acquire that which is now in their possession?

The politically connected perpetrators of the various crimes did so with impunity. They depended on their iron grip on state power to insulate them from any consequences whatsoever. There can be nothing more appropriate than bringing them to account and nothing more unjust than letting them get away with it.