155 missing weapons…President’s comments about Granger was “distasteful, inappropriate”- Chris Ram

By Latoya Giles

Attorney at law Christopher Ram who is representing the interest of the Working People’s Alliance at the ongoing Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry said that the comments made by Head of State Donald Ramotar towards Opposition Leader David Granger were “distasteful, inappropriate and improper.”

Attorney-at-law, Christopher Ram

President Donald Ramotar

Ramotar on Friday at a press conference called on Granger to return the 155 weapons that went missing from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) -while he was the Commander- after being issued to the People’s National Congress (PNC) Government in the 1970s. The President said there was clear evidence that the weapons issued by the Guyana Defence Force had ended up in the hands of criminals. According to Ram, in so doing, President Ramotar went further than former President Jagdeo who several years ago had alleged that weapons had been issued to Robert Corbin, who at the time of the allegation was the Leader of the People’s National Congress-Reform and Leader of the Opposition. Jagdeo had produced no evidence to support the allegation. Ram told the media yesterday that President Ramotar must be aware that the Commission of Inquiry has not finished taking evidence, let alone analyzing that evidence, making its findings and recommendations, and issuing its report. “The President must desist from premature interventions which undermine the integrity of the Commission of Inquiry and those who are working assiduously to arrive at the truth” Ram stated. More so he said regrettably, the unmistakable inferences which are to be drawn from his intervention validate publicly expressed concerns that the Commission of Inquiry was set up not to determine the circumstances of and persons and agencies responsible for the death of Dr Walter Rodney, but to serve the political agenda of the PPP/C. During this past week GDF Lt. Col. Sidney James, Staff Officer On, General Two, under oath, gave evidence before the Commission. Prior to his testimony James had provided to the Commission’s Secretariat a witness statement which formed the basis of his oral evidence. During the course of his oral evidence James also produced a copy of a classified report dated January 11, 2008 arising from an investigation carried out by him on the directions of the then Head of the GDF Commodore Gary Best. He said that the investigation was carried out in August 2008 and according to his witness statement it was “to determine whether weapons on charge to the Guyana Defense Force were issued to external organizations.” The investigation was prompted by the recovery of “a number of weapons” in the Mahaicony Creek after a shootout between members of the Guyana Police Force and criminal elements. According to James’ findings, two of the weapons recovered had in fact been issued to external agencies, entities outside of the Defence Force. External agencies to which weapons were issued during the PNC Administration included the Ministry of National Development which at the time formed part of a single governmental agency, Office of the General Secretary of the People’s National Congress and the Ministry of National Development, and the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). Two vouchers dated 18 and 19 May, 1976 indicate that the issues were made to and signed for by a Cde. R. Corbin, in one case as PS, OPM and the other as associated with the Ministry of National Development. The evidence shows that issues to external agencies were made during the Chief of Staff’s stewardship of Col. Clarence Price (1969 – 1979); Major General Norman McLean (1979 – 1990) and Brig. Joseph Singh (1990 – 2000). At least two private sector entities – Mazda Mining and Omai Gold Mines Limited, were issued with GDF arms, both during the period when Singh was Chief of Staff. Mr. James was unable to identify any provision in the Defence Act which authorizes such loans or issues to external agencies, the dangers of which are obvious. Under the Defense Act, the Defense Board is chaired by the President, an office which since 1992 has been held by PPP/C. During the entire period since then the Secretary of the Defense Board has been Dr Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat. Ram said that he has been reliably informed that shortly after 1992, the then Auditor General wrote to Chief of Staff Joseph Singh notifying him of the intention to carry out an audit of the arms and ammunition of the Guyana Defence Force. “Had that audit taken place the arms and ammunition that James identified as outstanding might have long since been highlighted, enhancing the chances of a prompt return” Ram told the media. Under examination, James has testified that he was unaware of the action, if any, taken on the findings in his report. Ram said  that it  would seem obvious however that a copy of the report would have been submitted to and considered by the Defence Board more than six years ago. Given the obvious security implications, Dr. Luncheon as the Secretary to the Defence Board would no doubt have advised President Ramotar as Chairman of the Board of the findings of James’s investigation, Ram noted. “President Ramotar can make a significant contribution to this objective by ordering the Secretary of the Defence Board Dr Roger Luncheon to appear before the Commission of Inquiry with the files to give evidence” Ram stressed. Further, Ram said that the President must also call on the state-owned media not to misrepresent the evidence adduced at the Commission, nor must he himself engage in such conduct.