PNCR will produce witnesses if credible protection programme in place

By Gary Eleazar

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) will produce the witnesses that it has been protecting for several years now if the Guyana Police force were to establish a credible witness protection programme that could meet international standards.
This is according to party’s vice chairperson, Basil Williams, who said that were the police force to show that there is a credible witness protection programme along with the international aspect of the probe that was recently announced by the Guyana Police Force into the killings by an alleged ‘Phantom Gang” that was supposedly run by self confessed drug trafficker, Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan, also called Short Man, then those witnesses would be produced.
Notwithstanding that position, the main opposition party lambasted the probe by the Guyana Police Force as an attempt to deceive the nation. The PNCR called it another (Ronald) Gajraj scenario.
According to Williams, faced with the embarrassment that a foreign Court secured convictions against Khan for less serious offences than the murders he is alleged to have committed in Guyana, the Police finally announced the appointment of a special investigative team, to “inquire into the alleged murders which surfaced during the court hearing for Khan.
The party Vice Chairman did say that his party was not impressed, however, by the manoeuvre and is convinced that it is another attempt by, “the Jagdeo Administration to deceive the world that it is taking some action against the atrocities committed in Guyana.”
According to Williams, most Guyanese would be reminded of the “Gajraj Inquiry” into the then Minister’s involvement with a deadly “phantom squad and when the regime, faced with public demonstrations by the PNCR and others, revelations by George Bacchus, and the publication of telephone links between Axel Williams and Gajraj, sought to create the impression that they were finally about to investigate.
He stated that a Commission of Inquiry was announced and shortly thereafter, the terms of reference were limited to ensure that the Commission was restricted from traversing the real issue of criminal activity, which the Opposition Parties had been demanding.
He said that eventually, then Minister Ronald Gajraj was promoted as Guyana’s High Commissioner to India and it is evident from all that has transpired over the past six years that this recent initiative is another “Gajraj type scenario.”
Williams stated that the Guyana Police Force’s belated call for individuals, organisations or groups to provide evidence is another attempt to fool the public that the police are not in possession of any evidence.
“This is a serious indictment on the GPF after more than 200 gangland style executions were committed in this jurisdiction.
The public is aware that sworn affidavits and taped interviews of potential witnesses were presented to the Police by the PNCR several years ago. These could have facilitated an investigation. What have the police done with this information?”
Williams questioned, “How can the police be relied upon to conduct an investigation when, self confessed drug lord, ‘Roger’ Khan, has placed a full page advertisement in the daily newspapers claiming that he has been working in close collaboration with the security forces in carrying out his activities in Guyana.
He reminded that to date there has been no disclaimer from the police.
“Additionally, Guyanese would recall that when Khan and others were arrested in 2002 with arms, ammunition and the infamous ‘spy computer’ at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, a serving member of the GPF was among them…the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks that effected the arrest had taken possession of the computer and the GDF Intelligence Corps had commenced investigations.
No sooner had they embarked upon this project, the entire GDF Intelligence Corps was disbanded and Khan was permitted to continue his activities in Guyana as an untouchable.”
He stated that over the past months, as more evidence were publicised during the Robert Simels trial, the police then claimed that they could not obtain information from the US Courts.
“Yet, prominent journalists were able to access that information and the entire transcript is available to some persons and organisations, including the PNCR, in Guyana. No one aware of these facts, therefore, could take the announcement by the police seriously.”
The Party Leader, Robert Corbin, is on record as stating that he is not heartened by the announcement by the Police Force as it relates to the probe.
According to Corbin, the police had enough information at their disposal long before the court hearing of Khan or Simels, who was charged along with him for witness tampering.
He noted that perhaps the only positive notion that could be drawn from the announcement is the fact that public opinion has had an impact on the law enforcement body to the point they have now been ordered to commence the investigation.
Corbin stressed that there will be no confidence in any investigation conducted by the police force without an international tier to it.
He is adamant that there must be an international probe given the marked reluctance of the police in the past to commence the investigation given the possible implications to members of the force among others.