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WEEK ENDING MAY 1, 2016 | guyanatimeSinternational.com
President should show compassion by forgiving woman who allegedly made FB posts about him Dear Editor, I have noted with concern the recent headlines as it relates to a lady being charged for allegedly posting threatening remarks against President David Granger on her Facebook and WhatsApp social media accounts. Clearly, the keystone cops and medieval justice system that prevail for the most part in Guyana are way out of their league in this specific matter. The charge is being laid under the “Racial Hostility Act” but the alleged crime itself is one that has its origins in cyberspace and there is no existing cybercrime legislation, statutes or precedents in Guyana or the Caribbean Court of Appeal to use as a yardstick. The big question is, how can Guyana exercise suzerainty over a piece of correspondence that is literally residing in “the cloud” connected to a server locat-
ed outside of the sovereign jurisdiction of Guyana. Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial reach could not possibly extend beyond its immediate shores with the exception of properties or assets it owns or exercises control over in another country or territory such as any of its embassies or consulates abroad as enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Immunity (1953 and 1961). The data servers of Facebook, Google, Microsoft and other global content, OTT and messaging providers are located anywhere else but the terra firma or territorial waters of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and, as such, could be in any number of locations such as the US, Canada, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, UK, Germany, Israel, South Africa, Australia or India. If the case is to be tried in a proper court of
Behaviour of Minister Ramjattan is despicable and unacceptable Dear Editor, I write in relation to Khemraj Ramjatan’s recent ranting in the press in response to a statement made by former Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee. It is with great disgust that citizens of Guyana and the international community at large had to witness Ramjattan responding to Rohee by stating that he can “haul his ***”. I sat at my desk wondering if Ramjattan was inebriated as he appeared or just plain crazy. Behaviour of this nature from a Minister of Government and a VicePresident is despicable and unacceptable. It reflects badly on the people of Guyana and sets a terrible example for the children and youths of this great country. What is more alarming is that Ramjattan had no reservations in uttering these words in the presence of a female. I shudder to think what his home and personal surroundings are like. It is quite unfortunate that
Ramjattan has not been reprimanded as it relates to his recent ranting. No statement has been forthcoming from the Office of the President or the Ministry of Presidency. I recall Former Minister Bheri Ramsarran being fired over making similarly derogatory statements. Why is Ramjattan still being able to act as a Minister? It is time the President and people of Guyana take a stand against this type of behaviour. It should not be allowed and the people should not settle for it. As a Minister of Government and Vice- President, Ramjattan should be held to the highest standard. Where is the infamous Code of Conduct as it relates to Government Officials on this? Why are we settling for nonsense? As a citizen of this country, I do not want to be represented by a man like Ramjattan. It is time for him to apologise to the people or go. Regards, Tiana King-David
Officials must provide details of Bai-Shan-Lin investments in Mall
Dear Editor, Last night, I was at the airport to pick up my wife, I saw facing the arriving guests a very large billboard advertising BaiShanLin International Mall. As the Chairman of MCG Investments Inc, the owners of the Giftland Mall, I am concerned and I am kindly publicly requesting from the Finance Ministry and the GRA Commissioner, who I do not hold accountable in any way, the details of these two mentioned investments which were concluded before their control of these two Government departments. For the record, Giftland Mall received no concessions for anything from the previous Administration in terms of duty-free and VAT
waivers, tax holidays, tax exemptions of any sort, etc. In fairness to our investment and parity between local investment and international enterprises such as these, it is important that a level playing field is had. I would find it abhorrent if it is a case that multibillion-dollar international companies should be treated with preferential treatment and unfair trading advantages over local companies. I eagerly await a response from the two mentioned departments. With regards, Roy Beepat Chairman Giftland Group
law, then it will have to be accorded ‘locus standi’ in the territory or country where the actual physical server hosting the correspondence is located. Not too long ago, there was a similar case involving the current Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago (the then Leader of the Opposition) – Dr Keith Rowley and many high-ranking Cabinet Ministers of the disgraced Kamala Persad-Bissessar regime. This case has since been referred to as “Emailgate” and it took several months and war of nerves between the then Government of Trinidad & Tobago and the powers that be at Google’s HQ in Silicon Valley to bring clarity to an otherwise murky situation (for the lack of a better word). In the end and millions of dollars later – no good was achieved and the case remains one for the history books or, for that matter,
Ripley’s Believe It or Not. This case that is now engaging the attention of the local judiciary is nothing but a frenzied rush and can be best described as ‘a wild goose chase’ or ‘a fishing expedition’. In less than a month, we will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary and so let us all let bygones be bygones and I respectfully call upon President Granger to take a page from the exemplary conduct of Gandhiji, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. He is the President and he can show his compassion and love as a fellow human being by forgiving this fellow sister of the soil for whatever transgressions she is alleged to have committed. We must live up to our creed of One People, One Nation, One Destiny. Best regards, Mike Singh
I will be vindicated in the end – Kwame McCoy Dear Editor, After several months of intolerable harassment at the hands of the Guyana Police Force, I am convinced that there is a political agenda to use the criminal justice system to witch-hunt me because of journalistic and political activism. Over the last few months, I have had to endure several days of imprisonment; I spent numerous hours at police stations; I gave several statements to the Police; I have been asked innumerable questions; attempts have been made to frame me for murder; I have been charged with an assault which allegedly took place over five years ago; although assault is one of the most trivial charges known to criminal law, I have been taken to court in chains. The latest series of harassment are concocted charges that I assaulted Mark Benschop, damaged his motor vehicle and that I stole from the same. This incident is alleged to have occurred again some five years ago. I submitted a written statement explaining that I was nowhere in the vicinity at the time this incident is alleged to have taken place. The Police claimed that they have an eyewitness. Myself and my Attorneyat-Law requested the name of this witness. We also requested to have a confrontation with this witness. Both of these requests were denied.
My Attorney-at-Law submitted statements from three different eyewitnesses who were present at the time the incident was alleged to have occurred. All of these persons confirmed that I was not at the scene and that I came on the scene some 15 minutes or more after the incident occurred. These statements were submitted to the Police in a timely manner with a request that they be included in my file which was being reviewed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and/or the Police Legal Adviser (PLA). The Police refused to include those statements in that file or to send them subsequently to the DPP and/or the PLA. I reiterate, that I am in no doubt that I am being persecuted because of my journalistic and political activism; I am in no doubt also that the criminal justice system will continue to be used
and misused as a political weapon against me. I call on the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and on all other human rights organisations in Guyana; I call on the DPP; I call on the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR); I call on the Police Complaints Authority (PCA); I call on those in charge of the administration of justice; I call on our diplomatic community; I call on the Caricom Secretary General and I call on every peace-loving Guyanese and on all political leaders to condemn this political persecution of me. I will endure this ordeal and I have no doubt that my innocence will be vindicated in the end. I am strong. I worry not for myself but for the other victims that will follow, for I am confident I will not be the last. Sincerely, Kwame McCoy