On June 8, the PNC went on record to say that it “confirmed” the Joint Services’ press release (June 3), which asserted that a recruitment drive is underway by people with ties to the narcotic industry, to acquire the skills of ex-military (and ex-police) servicemen.

Here is what the PNC said: “The PNCR has also confirmed the joint services statement that criminal enterprise is actively recruiting ex-military persons in order to promote further terror and create instability. These developments should have been of grave concern to the PPP/C Government.” (See PNC press release, June 1). It is very revealing.

As far as I am aware, there has been no update, modification, or retraction of the Joint Services’ view on this supposed paramilitary unit being formed on the East Coast corridor. The statement issued (June 3) was not a final position, but the reflection of a work-in-progress. Here is part of what was said; “investigators are working to establish the accuracy of new information that this group has over the past two weeks embarked on recruitment of persons, most of whom have had law enforcement and military background(s).”

One expected such a profound revelation of overarching and national importance to be “confirmed” by the Joint Services first, in view of the Government and then the public media, and not with any political party.
Therefore, unless the PNC was briefed by the Government or has its own private investigators et cetera, the PNC cannot “confirm” the Joint Services’ press release without the tacit involvement of the police and army. This means that Joint Services’ records on matters of national security were divulged.

The fact that the PNC saw a need to have confirmation of this issue, is evidence that the Joint Services’ position on June 3 was yet to be “refined,” if one may use a word from the controversial so-called Felix-Williams “tape.”
Interestingly, the PNC had argued in a previous press release that this alleged Felix-Williams “tape” should not have been publicized by the media, because discussions (now publicized) about certain police investigations, embedded in the “tape” could now jeopardize police work. Yet, they did not see any breach of confidentiality when the Joint Services shared with the PNC, “intelligence” that ought to be secured with the Discipline Forces.

Unless there is a very good explanation, I strongly believe that this is evidence of collusion between the Joint Services and the PNC. This is not an example of merely a working relationship. I would urge the chroniclers of crime, politics, and our military history to safeguard this letter and the two press releases under examination, for future reference.
I do not know if there is or is not any such militia under construction. Nevertheless, one must agree with the PNC that the Government should be interested in this “matter of grave concern.” But is the PNC truly concerned? Or is this a shrouded example of PNC doublespeak?

The PNC is not concerned about any private militia. If it did, the PNC would have offered a detailed impression on the subject. Instead, what we have is a mere 2-3 line on the matter embedded in a press release about the alleged “harassment” of Commissioner Felix. Commissioner Felix, after all, is one of the leaders of the Joint Service that has compromised on state “intelligence” with the PNC.

Further, if indeed people linked to the narcotic community are busy recruiting marksmen, it would have been natural for the PNC to use it for maximum political mileage. Instead, we have the PNC complains about pro-Roger Khan picketers. A handful of picketer cannot be more important than a handful of new gunmen.
Politics is hardly a matter of right and wrong. It is the art of being a magician, of being able to make people believe anything. A good magician can make a gun appear or disappear with ease.

There very well may not be any such private army in the making. If (note, if) this is the case, then the public should demand retractions from the PNC and the Joint Services.

Finally, I repeat my previous call for GAP/ROAR alliance and the AFC to investigate the controversial and racist press release issued by the Joint Services. The leadership of the Joint Services is going so far beyond its call of duty that it has become a threat to the population or the idea of Guyana being a Republic.

Whether it is Agricola or Enterprise or South Ruimveldt, at a media briefing or at the airport, Guyanese citizens are either vulnerable to being framed, or wrongly accused of committing fatal criminal offenses by our security forces.
As I said before, an army that stands against the people is an army that murders the people.

[Editor's Note: Published in the Chronicle and Kaieteur News, June 14-15, 2006.]