CANA recants story on 'Douglas tape' - Says no foundation for allegations Stabroek News April 1, 2000 The Caribbean News Agency (CANA) yesterday issued a statement withdrawing a story it had transmitted on March 19, 2000, in which it was alleged that a number of Guyanese government ministers and officials were involved with the slain armed robber, Linden 'Blackie' London. CANA has expressed regret to all those offended by the contents of the story. In the statement withdrawing the story, CANA said that its attention had been drawn to the story which was carried on the CANA Wire service on March 19, containing certain allegations against two government ministers, a public servant and two police officers in Guyana. It said that the report had been published in good faith and was based on a tape recording supplied to one of its Guyana correspondents. "In our investigations, we have been unable to verify the authorship of the said tape and had found no foundation for allegations contained in the tape recording," CANA said. "We therefore unreservedly withdraw the said story and express regret to all those offended by its contents." The CANA statement was issued in a response to a letter from Information Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, demanding an apology and accusing the news agency of recklessly rushing "to press without any attempt to create a balance" since "CANA must surely practice the fairness rule." He said that "if the allegation of criminal conduct was that 'strong', CANA should have ensured that its source was not only impeccable, but that the accused be given every chance to respond. "The caption volunteered an editorial comment emphasising the seriousness of the allegation against the government ministers in a CARICOM member state." President Bharrat Jagdeo at a press conference last week echoed Nagamootoo's call for an apology from CANA but said that he had directed Home Affairs Minister, Ronald Gajraj and the police to initiate investigations into the claims made on the tape. PNC leader Desmond Hoyte, responding to Nagamootoo, had called for an investigation into the charges on the tape. At a press conference last week, he urged CANA to protect its integrity and to defend its journalist who did a "very professional job". The report, he said, was an accurate account of what was contained on the tape and did not comment on the accuracy of the allegation. Gajraj, in an interview with Stabroek News, said that ahead of the President's direction, he had already been able to debunk allegations made on the tape that government officials had facilitated the release from jail of London and his alleged accomplice in a number of high profile armed robberies, Andrew Douglas. He said that the Prison Service had informed him that London had been lawfully let out of prisons to attend court but had not returned and that Douglas had been released after serving his sentence for housebreaking and larceny; being in possession of housebreaking implements; and causing death by dangerous driving. He had later drawn to Stabroek News' attention that it had been claimed that on the tape, Douglas allegedly said that he had been with London at his Toucan Guest House, Eccles, East Bank Demerara hideout and had escaped after being injured. However, he said that Douglas was now in police custody and had been examined and there was no evidence of any fresh or recently healed wounds. Douglas through his attorney, Nigel Hughes, has offered no comment as to whether it was his voice on the tape. Douglas was detained by the police in Suriname, where it was claimed on the tape that he had lived for some time and had a number of friends. (Patrick Denny)