Setting up the Presidential Commission is not cowardice
I WISH to respond to the Ravi Dev column, carried in the May 16 edition of Kaieteur News, relating to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry.

Ravi Dev asserted that cowardice is the reason the President appointed a committee to investigate the Gajraj affair only. The President appointed a Presidential Commission to investigate a serious criminal charge against a Cabinet Minister. This is not cowardice. What is cowardice is Ravi Dev and ROAR jumping in the streets of Georgetown with the PNC to have Gajraj resign when everyone knows that the PNC is only doing that for political mileage. How is Ravi Dev going to explain that to the residents of Annandale?

Ravi Dev also claimed that the PPP has done nothing to address the ethnic composition of the Disciplined Forces. Where is Ravi Dev living? What does he perceive was the aim of the Disciplined Forced Commission and is the purpose of Police Service Commission and the Ethnic Relations Commission? Isn't it cowardice to ignore the truth, Ravi Dev?

Ravi Dev has no interest in the ethnic composition of the Disciplined Forces or the functioning of the state in Guyana.

It is evident that Ravi Dev's position on almost every issue in Guyana will change every day, and he will never see anything good in Guyana as long as it is accomplished under a PPP/Civic administration. The PPP, on the other hand, may be less flamboyant. But at least its commitment to the preservation of law and order and the development of Guyana is indelible. This is what the PPP has fought for since 1950.

Yours truly
Satesh Deodat

PNC switching roles re the credibility of the Police Force

THE PNCR is switching roles in relation to the credibility and the capacity of the Guyana Police Force.

On September 29, 1986 Robert Corbin, who then was Minister of Agriculture, was implicated in an attempted rape at his Ministry.

On October 22, 1986 then DPP George Jackman threw out the case saying, "In view of public speculations connected with certain allegations made to the police against former Prime Minister, Cde. Robert Corbin, I have decided...that after full and careful examination of the results of what I consider to have been a thorough police investigation into the matter, I have concluded that there is not sufficient basis on which I could institute any criminal proceedings against him."

Dr. Jagan in a letter to the DPP following that disclosure said: The DPP's conclusion of 'insufficient basis' needs to be supported by disclosure of "at least of some of the evidence that was lacking." He also asked Jackman to say "on what basis his conclusion was based."

Eusi Kwayana of the WPA also wrote to the DPP asking him to say: "on what basis he has formed his decision not to prosecute."

These questions were never answered directly. The DPP based his investigations solely on investigations done by the Police (the competent body to administer such functions in Guyana.) In addition, the victim wasn't given witness protection or any such like. That was the end of an issue that the public demanded investigations into.

Why can't the PNC now accept the investigations of the Police Force or moreso a Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the 'Gajraj Affair'?

Yours faithfully,
Romel Narine