Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 02, 2014 News
Introduction
In recent weeks, the Kaieteur News has been receiving a number of threats, a direct result of an orchestrated
plan designed to shut down the newspaper.
There were emails that actually spoke of the plot against Kaieteur News and its Publisher.
This plot also includes the gunning down of Kaieteur News Owner/Publisher Glenn Lall, and staff members.
The plot became even more shockingly glaring when Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, told a senior Kaieteur News reporter, Leonard Gildarie, during a telephone call that people with weapons would attack the offices of the newspaper. That telephone call was recorded.
This publication had reported on questionable duty free concessions granted by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to a Chinese Logging Company, Bai Shan Lin, and others when the authorities turned their attention to Kaieteur News and its principals. The GRA eventually instituted charges against the Publisher, his wife and two remigrants.
That matter is before the courts.
Below is a chronological recap of the reports in recent days which have since led to the launch of a police investigation.
Men in Anil Nandlall’s vehicle terrorize Kaieteur News staff
At the end of July, this newspaper reported that the approach of a black Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and the slow lowering of the dark tinted windows sent some staff members of Kaieteur News taking cover behind parked cars.
That incident immediately brought back memories of two horrific attacks on Kaieteur News in the past—the firebombing of the printing press at Eccles in 2002 and the killing of five Kaieteur News pressmen in 2006.
The black SUV turned out to be the vehicle used by Mr. Anil Nandlall.
When the vehicle neared the newspaper office both the left front and rear windows were lowered. The people saw hands going up and did not wait to see the result. One man was certain that he saw a gun in one of the hands.
Two minutes later the vehicle returned and the procedure was repeated. This time the vehicle stopped. The closed circuit television cameras revealed that the men appeared to be photographing the building and the vehicles parked outside.
A video of the incident was posted on the Kaieteur News website.
Nandlall responded that the vehicle while assigned to him was not being used by him at the time as he was in Berbice. He later said during the recorded conversation with the Kaieteur News reporter that the tempo against Kaieteur News changed after the surveillance.
Lawsuit
A few days later Nandlall filed a lawsuit, claiming in excess of $30M for alleged libel. The writ named Editor-in-Chief, Adam Harris and Publisher, Glenn Lall, as the Defendants.
The Minister said that the words in the article meant that he was engaged in criminal acts and is a terrorist.
Kaieteur News continued, however, to focus its attention on duty free concessions and the remigrant scheme.
It was later discovered that a relative of Nandlall imported a Mercedes Benz SUV through the remigrant scheme. Kaieteur News found that the uncle, Kamal Mangal, had breached the conditions of the scheme.
Nandlall’s relative subsequently moved to the court and secured an interim injunction against Kaieteur News, before Justice Diana Insanally.
Lall has since indicated that this publication will be contesting the injunction granted as well as the lawsuit filed, saying that “no one should be prevented from publishing the truth”.
Death Threats
Things took a dramatic twist subsequent to the court challenge by Nandlall’s uncle. Nandlall was heard talking about gunmen invading Kaieteur News and shooting up the place.
An audio disc of Nandlall’s comments and a complete statement were handed over to Deputy Police Commissioner, Balram Persaud, and to Assistant Police Commissioner David Ramnarine.
Police dilly dallying
Following the report to the Police Station, the authorities seem hell bent on persecuting this publication over the source of the recording as against investigating the contents of the audio recording, which has since been handed over to several Embassies and members of the diplomatic corps.
The political opposition and the legal fraternity have all issued calls to the administration to have Nandlall immediately removed from his privileged position.
The Guyana Bar Association and the Guyana Women Lawyers Association, in a joint statement, said “Even in private conversation, Nandlall’s comments are deeply troubling and inappropriate.”
Their candid nature, unbridled by the conventions of public discourse, calls his character and professionalism into question.
They categorically denounced the actions of the Minister and said that as leader of the Bar, the Attorney General, mindful of the honour, dignity and integrity of his office, should resign.
The Alliance for Change also issued a call for Nandlall’s resignation. The party’s Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, said that Mr. Nandlall has been caught with his pants down and, sadly, he has become a discredited Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs.
“He should call it a day, before he drags the PPP deeper into the cesspit.”
A Partnership for National Unity also issued a call for Nandlall’s resignation.
Its General Secretary, Joseph Harmon, said that the recent scandal involving the Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has also served to further erode public respect and trust for the PPP/C regime.
The Vienna-based International Press Institute also added its voice in support of Kaieteur News.
Over the weekend that body by way of a public statement said “The International Press Institute (IPI) has expressed deep concern over a recorded phone call in which a person identified as the Attorney General of Guyana appeared to suggest that staff members of the daily Kaieteur News risked deadly reprisal if the paper continued its critical reporting.”
“The safety of journalists is an extremely serious matter and we are deeply troubled by the alleged contents of this recording.
“Insofar as these comments risk giving the impression that violence is an appropriate response to unfavourable media coverage, such statements have an impact far beyond the individual newspaper in question: they place all of Guyana’s journalists in danger.”
The administration, however, has signaled its intention to stand by its Minister.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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