Dear Editor,
APNU/AFC’s motion in Guyana’s Parliament honouring Abdul Kadir — a man convicted of conspiracy for terrorism against America — was severely, rightfully and broadly blasted in and out of Guyana. The Guyanese people’s position to APNU/AFC is, “Speak for yourself”, not for the people of Guyana.
The Opposition PPP has distanced itself from the Parliamentary motion. The Private Sector Commission and other organisations have chastised APNU/AFC for passing the motion praising Kadir for being a “great man”. The letter columns and social media postings have been dominated by the unequivocal rejection of the motion by the Guyanese people. America, Canada, the UK, the EU have all unequivocally rejected the motion and blasted APNU/AFC in unusually stern language.
In a single but reckless move, APNU/AFC stained Guyana’s reputation as a country unwavering in its posture against terrorism of any kind. Guyana’s solid international standing against domestic and international terrorism is now under serious suspicion. APNU/AFC has left Guyana open to scrutiny as a centre for the export of terrorism. This is political malfeasance, and this is yet another example why the Guyanese people overwhelmingly have no confidence in APNU/AFC.
People are shaking their heads and asking themselves, “Can these people be so stupid?”
In damage control mode, APNU/AFC first tried to deny they ever honoured a man jailed for conspiracy to commit a terrorist act, insisting they were simply acknowledging Kadir served in the National Assembly. They asserted they were merely expressing sympathy to Kadir’s family for their loss.
When that silly stunt did not work, they tried to blame the Clerk of the National Assembly, saying that it was his handiwork. The Speaker of the National Assembly tried to soften the outrage by timidly suggesting he had placed the motion on the Order Paper. Even if the Clerk or the Speaker or anyone else had written the text of the motion, the motion had to be presented by a sitting MP, and that MP would need the support of at least the party that MP belongs to.
The Order Paper of that day confirms the motion was a Government business in the name of Minister Patterson-Yearwood, an APNU+AFC Cabinet Member and a member of the PNC. It was not in the name of the Speaker, and not in the name of the Clerk. This deception was entirely intended to kerfuffle the issue.
No matter how they try to distant themselves, how they spin this debacle, they were totally responsible for the presentation and passage of the motion honouring Abdul Kadir in Parliament.
Patterson-Yearwood, in desperation, screamed out she only praised Kadir as a “great man” because Amna Ally told her to do so. APNU+AFC, through their own mouths, loudly praised Kadir on behalf of the Guyanese people, and they voted for passage 100 per cent.
Their praise for Kadir in Parliament was either a direct challenge of the authenticity of the Americans’ charges against him, or siding with the crimes with which the Americans had charged him, and for which they convicted him. They said nothing when Kadir was intercepted in Trinidad and taken to America. They said nothing when the Americans charged Kadir. They said nothing when Kadir was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
They said nothing when he died in an American jail. This APNU/AFC motion in Parliament expressing regret for his death and sympathy to his family for losing a “great man” is either a direct rebuke of the Americans for fake charges against Kadir, or an APNU/AFC full endorsement of Kadir’s conspiracy. If APNU/AFC cannot see that their motion can only be seen from those perspectives, then they are truly incompetent and insensitive, and are not deserving of being the Government of Guyana.
Kadir is either a “great man” or he is a convicted criminal who died in jail. In their presentation of the motion in Parliament, the presenting Minister made clear they were honouring a “great man” for his work in Guyana’s Parliament and for his service on behalf of the people of Guyana. Did Kadir serve the interest and welfare of the people of Guyana when he conspired to commit a terrorist act in America; a crime for which he was convicted? Did he serve the people of Guyana when he served Iran as a spy, as alleged by the Americans when they presented evidence in court? If APNU/AFC have reasons to doubt these charges, why have they been silent for so long?
Our Government decided to thumb its nose on America, and in fact poke America in her eyes and then claim they did it on our behalf. In enshrining in the annals of our Parliament praises for Kadir, APNU/AFC, on behalf of all of us, said it is okay to export terrorism. The Guyanese people say, “No!”
Sincerely,
Dr Leslie
Ramsammy