THE press conference hosted by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Robert Corbin, has left quite a lot of questions unanswered.

How did guns issued to the PNC’s Ministry end up in the hands of criminals? This is not a political issue nor could it be a smoke screen. It is real. Over 200 guns were issued to a Government Ministry in 1976 and 1979 under the PNC administration, two of them were found in the hand of criminals in 2008.

Mr. Corbin was an integral member of the Cabinet in the 70s through to 1992 (including the period during which these weapons were issued). He would have had knowledge of the purpose for which these weapons were to be used and what happened to them post 1992.

This issue should not be brushed aside nor should it be linked and/or confused with any other matter as is being attempted by Corbin. How could he, as a responsible leader of a major political party make such a dismissive statement? This is a matter of national security - it is immediate and urgent. (A decision made by a PNC government 30 years ago has resulted in the most violent period in Guyana’s history.)

Corbin’s call for the Military to be allowed to do its job gives the impression that this administration is hindering it from carrying out its mandate. It was while doing its job that this matter was revealed.

Mr. Corbin claimed that he would not venture to speak on behalf of the past PNC administration but he was a senior member of that administration. It would be good if he could explain the ‘context of the security conditions that existed at that time in our country’, that would have resulted in civilians being issued with weapons such as seen below.

I noted Corbin’s quote from the Library of Congress document that “Militia members were to engage in their normal occupation until war broke out, at which time they would defend their communities and assist the regular force.” But the People’s Militia was a state agency. Its resources for training were allocated by the state. What is unclear is why a civilian Ministry was issued with these weapons? Am I to believe that they were training their staff apart from the regular training? Or was that the full strength of the People’s Militia.

One thing is certain that Cheddi Jagan had not suggested, supported or had knowledge of this transaction. As to the inference that these guns were intended to protect villages and communities from the Venezuelans, Corbin has to find another story.

The quantity of weapons could not hold back the Venezuelans for one hour. The only threat that those weapons could have been used to quiet was the internal threat to return the country to democratic rule.

During that period, there was the Guyana National Service, which had trained persons in several interior locations. As far as I can recall, the Guyana People’s Militia was not under a Ministry; the army trained and managed it as it does with the reserves today.

The 70s and 80s were indeed troubling times. Dictatorship was enshrined with the Referendum; a number of basic food items were banned and the society as a whole was restless. Those were the days when freedom of expression meant freedom to express the ‘party’s views’.

Maybe the time is here for the PNC to apologize for its wrongs and make amends by helping to locate those weapons. Red herrings are not the answer.
EDWARD SIMON