The PPP’s violations far exceed

Burnham Government’s sins

Dear Editor, I refer to a new item on page 14 of the March 21, 2014 edition of the Stabroek News captioned; “PPP slams SN editorial for ‘tarnishing’ Jagdeo administration successes,” in which the PPP’s statement describes some of the deplorable acts of violence committed under the Burnham presidency I am absolutely sure this newspaper and countless others would just shrug their shoulders and ask who will buy this righteous claim by the PPP when everyone in and out of Guyana knows of the countless horrors the PPP administration has perpetuated on Guyana since Jagdeo became president. While I agree with that sentiment and I see it expressed to me everyday, however, there is something we miss. There are lots of Guyanese who would be enlightened by a juxtaposition of the depravities of the Burnham Government (certainly not the Desmond Hoyte administration, which, to date, is the best government we have ever had) and Mr. Jagdeo’s. This juxtaposition would be so graphic, vivid and incredible to the eyes that it destroys the righteous claims that the PPP Government continues to make about the Burnham Government. And for the basic reason; the PPP hopes the litany of Burnham’s egregious mistakes would obfuscate the contents of their house of horror. But the mask could exist if Guyanese do not present this juxtaposition. Here is a brief schema starting with five items listed in the PPP’s statement 1 Walter Rodney. If the Burnham state killed Rodney, the same can be said of the PPP government about Ronald Waddell. 2 Two Guyanese killed in Berbice in 1973 protesting rigged elections. Three unarmed persons were shot dead a few years ago during a protest in which they ran into the compound of the Office of the President. 3 Father Darke’s murder. But the claim is widespread that protestor Donna MC Kinnon was shot from Freedom House during post election protest in 2001. 4 The Lindo Creek massacre. This writer and many of my colleagues in the media are absolutely convinced from the logical deduction we have made from the evidence we have seen that an elite squad of the security forces was involved. 5 The Mash Day jail break and subsequent violence. We in the media have incontrovertible evidence that high party and state officials were involved in extra-judicial violence between 2002 and 2005 in which hundreds of youths were murdered. The controversy of Leslie Ramsammy’s involvement will never go away. I will now include other juxtapositions. 1) Walter Rodney job denial at UG. My UG contract was terminated five months before its expiration. In an editorial on my dismissal, the Stabroek asked the question; why wasn’t the contract not allowed to run for the remaining five months. I was never even given a hearing. 2) Five charged for treason under Burnham. Four charged for treason under Jagdeo including a mother of two small children. 3 )Moses Bhagwan’s wife dismissed from her State job at Guyana Pharmaceutical corporation under Burnham. Under Jagdeo, my wife was literally hounded out of her job at GOINVEST. Twice the Stabroek News reporters have asked me for elaborations but I have said that a detailed description would conclusively point to a whistle-blower who is still employed at a very senior level with the Government. Any discussion of what happened to my wife at GOINVEST may bring victimization to that person. I will definitely talk about it the day he leaves his state job 4) Under Burnham, state employees forced to attend State functions. In 2011, civil servants were forced to picket outside Parliament against opposition budget cuts 5) State media control under Burnham. Nothing could be as horrific in this context as what the PPP has done since it came to power in 1992. 6 Attacks on anti-government activists during the seventies and eighties. Three times I have been attacked and could have lost my life. In 2005, when I exposed certain persons including a certain Minister, in extra-judicial killings. In May 2010 and August 2012. The Burnham Government never sought to harm me physically. 7) Ethnic discrimination under Burnham. Under the PPP this type of politics is simply heart-breaking. 8 Attempts at stifling the media under Burnham with newsprint denial for the Mirror. The denial of State advertisements to the Stabroek News under Jagdeo 9) Bypassing negotiations with individual unions over salary increases under Burnham; exactly the same thing under Jagdeo and Ramotar. I will stop here because I believe my point has been made. Since this is a comparative framework, it did not include the terrible atrocities committed under Jagdeo that never occurred under Burnham. Just briefly; (1) The accusations against Jagdeo by his common-law wife that has no precedence anywhere else in the world. (2) Rohee’s visa controversy. (3) Unbelievable corruption under Jagdeo the likes of which the Caribbean has never seen. I will give a numerical account of these when I see more comical accusations by the PPP.

Frederick Kissoon