Communique is a binding document
-Corbin tells meeting of party supporters
Links crime wave to police excesses
By Samantha Alleyne
Stabroek News
June 26, 2003
PNCR Leader, Robert Corbin told party members on Tuesday that the signing of the May 6 communique was not a surrender or an excuse to “love up and dove up” with the enemy. Instead it was a document which put the government on notice to perform certain duties in a specific timeframe.
Corbin was speaking to members of the party, along with groups from Plaisance to Mahaica at the Paradise Primary School.
He said the meeting was necessary because he had perceived that there was a great deal of misinformation circulating on what the May 6 accord meant and he hoped his explanations would then filter down to the general public.
He warned that should the government not perform as was stipulated in the communique, the PNCR would have time to organise to deal with any eventualities.
He said the document was prepared by his party because it knew what they wanted and he had the signature of President Bharrat Jagdeo and when the government did not comply then the rest of the world would see.
He said that the communique represented a set of agreements that the PNCR would like the government to implement in full.
According to him, the government did not sign the communique because they loved the PNCR but because of pressure.
He noted that over the past three years Guyana had been in a serious economic, social and political crisis.
Corbin said former PNCR Leader Desmond Hoyte had died at a time when the party needed him most as the dialogue with the President had arrived at a stalemate, with many of the decisions not being implemented and parliament having become a mockery.
Commenting on the recent crime wave, which he labelled as “confusion,” Corbin said this was started because of the excesses of the police who were shooting young men all over the place.
He mentioned the Thomas Carroll US visa racket case where some members of the now defunct `Black Clothes’ police had testified under immunity that “they were hired guns” for those involved in the racket.
And he alleged that some policemen were doing the same thing for local drug lords.
As for the Mash Day jail-break that triggered the crime wave, Corbin said two inquiries had been held into the operations of the prison system. He added that many changes were recommended but these were not implemented which included persons continuing to be incarcerated for years without trial. This was a serious injustice and as such “it was no surprise” that there was a prison break-out.
Corbin further suggested that the five escapees had been given a lot of help in committing the jail-break and that the first set of persons to be executed after the jail-break had some connection with drug lords.
As for Buxton, Corbin said the residents were “damn angry” at the injustices perpetuated by the police. He said Buxtonians had stood up and fought for principle “and rightfully so.”
However, he said because the police could not enter the village “things became confused” and some forgot the real root of the problem.
But he said that there was still a need to wage a battle against discrimination of all sorts perpetuated by the ruling party and that was what his party supported.
He said the PNCR would continue to support this until there was liberation.
Corbin also spoke about the July 3, 2002, storming of the Office of the President describing it as a national disaster. He referred to a leading attorney who he said was supposed to be a PNCR supporter but who when asked to represent those charged, said, “on a matter of morality I can’t represent these people,” modulating his voice to mimic the lawyer.
He contended that the PNCR had to find a solution as while they were waging the battle casualties were being suffered on both sides.
The PNCR’s casualties included Hoyte, as according to Corbin, the stress and strain had been too much for his heart; those who died at the Office of the President; people who died recently because people suspected them; some of the party’s own who became traitors and began working with the `Phantom Force’ and Buxton mothers fearing for their daughters.
The party also suffered because of its inability to mobilise while the country was polarised.
He asked for confidence in the party’s leadership and said he had been around since 1964 and knew when there was a time for war and a time for peace.
On a parting note Corbin said that many were calling for the PNCR to become an all black party, but he pointed out that in the last census that was done the blacks in Guyana made up a mere 36%.
Some residents of Bare Root complained about constant police brutality in their area and asked the PNCR to look into the matter.
Some of those who accompanied Corbin on his visit included, attorney-at-law Basil Williams, Florence Bourne, Bevon Currie, Latchman Samaroo, Amna Ally, Supriya Singh and Chairman of the Buxton/ Foulis NDC, Randolph Blair.