Gopaul Chowtie's five-year US visa, which was issued last year.
Gopaul Chowtie was a "Jagan man" and had remained close to the PPP long after 1989, the year General Secretary Donald Ramotar said his membership ended, a relative has said.
According to the relative, the former treason accused had worked with the party during the 2001 elections, and she stressed that whether or not he was the bearer of a party card after 1989 was not critical, because he remained close.
She said he had left Essequibo before the last election campaign kicked off, and had spent most of his days at Freedom House. She recalled contacting him by phone during his stay at Freedom House using the call name, "Leo."
And there was even a disturbance between Chowtie and members of the party during that period. According to the relative, ROAR Leader Ravi Dev had just started his party, and Chowtie was among the well-wishers. This had led to a confrontation and Chowtie was reprimanded for his actions by a member of the PPP.
Chowtie died a faithful PPP man, the relative insisted, although his family had received no sympathy from the party. The relative also confirmed that in 1978 Chowtie was granted a scholarship by the PPP to study in Russia. He spent a few years there before returning.
With regard to police reports that Chowtie was suspected of piracy on the high seas, the relative said there was no evidence to support the claims. If there were, she said, the United States would not have granted him a visa. She produced a laminated copy of Chowtie's US visa, issued in August last year and valid until August 2008.
The visa was at no time revoked, she said, and Chowtie had travelled to the US in January of this year. She said he had plans to expand his aquaculture business and was elated over the US visa.
She was highly critical of Chowtie's ex-employee, Andre Henry, who claimed to have seen a stash covered with leatherette that included guns and wooden crates at Chowtie's farm at Hog Island, Essequibo River. According to her, Chowtie had had a falling-out with Henry, and the two had never made up. She denied that what Henry had told this newspaper was true.
Admitting that relatives would usually defend a family member in the event of a crime being committed, the woman said this was not the case now.
According to her, the public deserves to know that Chowtie had been "set up" and also that he was a longstanding PPP man.
Stunned by reports that Chowtie was a bandit, the relative
said that he had had no criminal record prior to his death. She disputed the report that Chowtie had robbed Jules Chabrol on April 4, and then had died following a gun battle with police; this was an account, she said, which left room for speculation.
Chowtie would not have turned on Chabrol, the relative claimed, whom he had known through his connection with the PPP. In addition, he would not steal things that he [Chowtie] could afford. Questioned about Chowtie's connection to Deonauth Balram, his alleged accomplice, the woman said she was not aware of any. According to her, Balram's name was never mentioned in any of the conversations she had with Chowtie.