Young Manzoor Nadir said it well. After the pro-Sophia aggressors had stoned his home and traumatized his family some weeks ago, visibly shaken he had declared that "these people are deciding for you, they are deciding which side you are on" - or words very close to those.

Perhaps I experienced something similar when I saw and read the front page of the latest edition of New Nation, the sometimes weekly that is supportive of the People's National Congress party (PNC). Whether it is believed or not, I was no huge "Laurie Lewis fan", but I appreciated the general constraints any Commissioner of Police works under, whoever he happened to be. Of course, some leaders, including Police Commissioners, could be, and are guilty of lack of imagination, innovation and aggression in representing their causes and priorities.

However, after perusing this past week-end's Palm Tree paper I feel obligated, like Manzoor Nadir, to offer informed comments on the flat-out attacks on the out-going commissioner. Firstly, it would not have escaped the notice of the silent majority of the law-abiding community that, even before the Elections and up to now, the campaign to remove Laurie Lewis was launched by the PNC, nurtured by the PNC and maintained by the PNC. From the pre-elections television vulgarities which passed for nightly "talk shows", to the current Parliamentary and constitutional strategies to oust, the strident charges have been led by Congress Place. Just why is that so? Apart from the normal PNC love/hate syndrome which sees that party denigrating former favourities ( - remember Doodnauth Singh, Justice Cross, Jimmy Carter, Kit Nascimento, et al, all once virtually loved by Sophia?), there must be extra-special reasons for wanting Lewis to leave.

This week's New Nation would have people believe that Lewis, through a release issued a fortnight ago, has painted all Afro-Guyanese "criminals" How cheap! Even supporters scoff quietly at that pitch. Less emphasis is paid to Lewis' findings that crime and criminals were recruited to create instability. Except by the Loyal Blackman from Brooklyn. Allan essays to educate the Commissioner, me and all of us that "Guyana is unstable due to a series of economic, issues of governance and social woes which, of course, include violent crime". If Brooklyn's Blackman knows that why does he feel that Lewis, you or I won't? Of course, he'll pretend he's too far away to have heard who promised to make the country "ungovernable". Such blasted cheek!

Even if Lewis was indiscreet is describing the actual bandits' ethnicity, by no stretch of the imagination was he being racist or indicting the "Afro-Guyanese Community". I continue to be both impressed and amazed at the effectiveness of Congress Place in pulling wool over its supporters' eyes - both the vulnerable and those who must be expedient politically. Great damaging stuff!

This I'll risk stating here and now: whether they can stand up in court or not, Lewis is quite aware why certain parliamentarians and their leaders want him to leave sooner, rather than later. However sub-standard the Force's intelligence capability might be, verifiable information recently gathered is damning, and points to one place. Top security and protection has to be offered a top bandit now in custody as a result of the substantiated songs he sang.

Appreciate too, that even as he leaves, Lewis is no professional dolt. The man who once knew the business of all PNC enemies, and of the PNC itself, when he headed Intelligence Operations out of Ogle, knows that he can't compromise his sources or the professional integrity of his Security Unit. He wouldn't rush to press without justification. After all, it's not just because some report of say, a "destabilization training camp" somewhere in Demerara, is received by the police, that would make that, in itself, credible and worthy of publicity. Detailed investigations must, obviously, follow.

So Lewis will go. But not all that he knows. Those who know they are guilty of certain acts must feel threatened, uncomfortable.

Todo bien! The coca leaf

My Venezuelan source tells me this: "the use of the coca leaf dates back as far as anyone can remember. Even the Inca Love goddess is depicted with coca leaves in her hands. Mythically, coca is known to alleviate hunger and strengthen the feeble. By the time of the Spanish conquest, the use of coca leaf was widespread among the Indians, sustaining them through prolonged periods of exhausting labour under severe conditions. (Todo Bien - all happy...)

The coca leaf is a staple in the diet of many South American Indians who need every ounce of induced strength for their labours. Whether as tea (mate de coca) or just for chewing, the leaves gave sustenance. The Europeans - the Spanish - came and discovered that the coca leaves yielded up their alkaloid drug - the basis of cocaine - when combined with (the ashes of) other plants.

The extracts of the coca leaf itself produce a feeling of well-being, giving a high degree of insensitivity to hunger, cold, fatigue and pain - and indifference towards hardship and anxiety. The Spanish ended up taking advantage of this stimulant to increase the efficiency of Latin American Indian labour. (No wonder, Afro-Americans claim the drug was deliberately introduced into their depressed communities).

Why all the above? Just to show that left by itself and its early "unsophisticated" users, an item can be relatively harmless and contained. Exploited by strangers, we see now the havoc wrought when the narco-criminals kill the young to acquire property and fatal wealth. (More later).

Our own dialogue

1. What did the New Nation writer mean? This week's lead article ends like this; "A senior PNC/R spokesman who witnessed Lewis' performance (on Allan Fenty's "Trashy" programme) said that Lewis must understand that he always held a subordinate position in PNC Administrations and he does not have all of the files."

What files? Ole people seh: mout open, story jump out!

I am aware that the uninitiated, indeed the depressed Guyanese society does not need all of this acrimony at this time, but I repeat: the files, the story of the wicked must be recorded for us to learn from.

2. Mr Jagdeo's first 100 days in Office this week were a Test of Fire! And I mean Fire! (If you can't build, burn?)

3. Guyana should have three World Boxing Champions by year-end, if they get the fights.

4. If you describe this local period and season as "summer", I expect by December you'll be talking about "winter" in Guyana too. Poor copy-cats.

5. The Mighty Sparrow from Trinidad would hardly be a supporter of the PPP/C, the PNC - what "R"? Or ROAR or GAP. His party, more likely, will be the Home of Reconciliation and Neighbourly Niceness (Horn!)