by Mr. Robert Persaud
INFORMATION LIAISON TO THE PRESIDENT

“We have to have political space to operate within. I am very pleased that Mr. Robert Corbin, leader of the PNCR is here and I am also pleased about the statements he has made in terms of supporting the police in the fight against crime. We need a conducive political climate with which to operate. Criminals, as the Commissioner correctly pointed out, do not have loyalties to any political cause. Criminal activities cannot be equated with political or any other cause.” This statement was made on Thursday, April 24, 2003 by President Bharrat Jagdeo at the opening of the annual officers’ conference of the Guyana Police Force.
The President and several others have referred to the several recent statements and gestures of the new PNCR Leader. An example of Mr. Corbin’s encouraging public posture has been his “constructive approach” to the Linden utility situation. Although many Lindeners will be quick to point out that he had no other alternative as, very early there was a rejection of political infiltration and take over of residents’ protest.
Mr. Corbin, upon his election as the leader of the PNCR, responded favourably to the President’s call for a meeting to discuss issues of national importance. This was followed by visits to communities targeted and assaulted by criminal elements who operate out of Buxton.
Also, the past weeks have seen productive engagements between the Government’s representative and Mr. Corbin’s for the anticipated meeting between President Jagdeo and the PNCR leader aimed at restoring some normalcy to the political environment. It must be recognized a participative and involved opposition is healthy for democracy and stability.
The PNCR as a result of its policy to make Guyana “ungovernable,” the abandonment of the 2001-2002 dialogue process by the late Desmond Hoyte and the “boycott” of Parliament saw it abrogating its responsibilities as the main opposition party. This position was most unwelcome and obstructive in the context of the reformed constitution which gives the opposition de facto veto power on very important decisions such as matters pertaining to the police force, the Judiciary and public service.
The claim of exclusion and marginalization of the opposition is without foundation. The reality was that the opposition party had chosen not to be involved and included in the various constitutional and political processes. Now there seems to be either a movement for change or a direct response to internal and external pressures to play its part and be a responsible opposition. Being civil and responsible does not equal weakness and genuflection.
In the midst of these positive signs, there seems to be some elements, led mainly by Vincent Alexander, Jerome Khan, Raphael Trotman and Deborah Backer who have a different approach or refuse to let go to the PNCR post-1997 opposition politics. The storming of the National Assembly by several PNCR MPs, who were supposed to be on “leave” from Parliament, was clearly out of sync with Mr. Corbin’s public postures and statement. It nearly reversed the efforts of the new PNCR leader to achieve some form of political rapprochement with the Government. Instead of apologizing for their outrageous and contemptuous behaviour, Khan and Alexander poured salt on the wound by penning letters to the newspapers that were riddled with invectives and threats. The two newspapers had to apologise to the Speaker of the National Assembly for publishing the damaging letters.
On April 25, 2003, Ms. Deborah Backer, MP, at the PNCR weekly press conference expressed her party’s concern and sought a clarification of what His Excellency, President Bharrat Jagdeo meant by cleaning out the crime situation in Buxton, during a recent television interview. That statement means only one thing: the criminal elements hiding in and operating out of Buxton will have to be apprehended and brought to justice. Not only will this action yield more positive results for the security forces in their fight against crime, but would also allow for the liberation of decent and law- abiding residents from the criminal siege which has made their historic village as a criminal safe haven.
There was no ambiguity in President Jagdeo’s statement and task for the law enforcement agencies in dealing with the criminal elements holed up in Buxton. Even the Stabroek News of April 24, 2003 observed: “The layman who has observed the depredations of the Buxton-based gunmen over the last year or so knows what has to be done right away to restore some measure of control over the criminals in the village…Exhaustive searches have to be conducted in the village and neighbouring areas for wanted men and ammunition caches.” All Guyanese are justifiably concerned about the fact that Buxton is a safe haven for criminals and want the security forces to deal with this situation appropriately.
The President has always insisted that the conduct of the security forces must be in conformity with the laws of Guyana. As recent as (yesterday) April 24, 2003 he told the annual officers’ conference of the Guyana Police Force: “Another issue I have made it clear to every one that I have spoken to is that we have to operate within the laws of this country. We have to operate upholding the highest traditions of the Police Force. We have to operate within our Constitution. Human Rights issues are very important too…”
The entire PNCR leadership must follow their leader and take a more enlightened stance on the fight against crime. Everyone should support efforts to end the criminal safe-haven in Buxton.