‘Bakr makes my blood boil’

THE EDITOR: I lost someone very dear to me in the attempted coup in July of 1990. Having listened to Abu Bakr’s ignorant rantings on two popular radio talk shows, a sense of outrage and bitterness overwhelmed me and caused me to pen this letter.

I wish to add my voice to the growing chorus of law abiding citizens who see the danger in elevating a man who caused murders, looting, loss of state property and international damage to our nation’s reputation to the status of leader. It is amazing how the average man in the street knows about the ruthless brute force and might of a radical Muslim organisation. From illegal quarrying with kick-backs to extortion of money from businessmen under the pretence that it is a debt collection agency, the notorious activities of this group are well known. The failure of successive governments to deal with this organisation is a sad reflection of the state of law enforcement.

While Mr Bakr publicly boasts that he gains his wealth from ‘various business activities including debt collection, construction and quarrying’ no one asks what became of the judgement awarded by the High Court in favour of the people of our nation for the destruction of state property caused by the Muslimeen insurrection. The State had successfully sued Bakr for compensation for the damage done to state property (remember the state of the police headquarters and the damage done to the Red House?) Bakr was ordered to pay $15 million damages, legal costs and interest by the Honourable Mr Justice Joseph Tam. With the passage of time, this judgement debt is now in the region of $30 million.

I have personally checked the Court of Appeal Registry and know for a fact that Bakr’s appeal was dismissed by three judges of the Court of Appeal over a year ago. I am amazed that the media hasn’t discovered this fact and pressured the government on this issue. Our sociable and media-friendly Chief Justice can confirm that the legal system and the judiciary has completed its work a long time ago. The present Chief Justice refused his application for a stay of execution of the judgement over two years ago. This means that the state could have enforced this judgement for quite sometime now. There was never, and remains even today, no legal impediment to doing so! The present AG paid Bakr his judgement of $3 million for the damage done to his property at Mucurapo.

This money should have been set-off against the monies Bakr owed us. But having paid him his compensation what about ours? People who lost loved ones during the coup have been waiting with bated breath to see justice done, especially after Bakr walked free of the criminal charges of treason because of the Presidential pardon. I want to ask the AG what the government intends to do to enforce the judgement awarded against Bakr. This money belongs to the people of TT. If the government doesn’t want it then they should collect it and distribute it to the surviving children of those persons who were brutally murdered during the coup. Many of them have had to grow up without a mother or father, with a helpless sense of pain whenever they see Bakr mounting a public forum and portraying himself as a messiah.

When the State has a judgement against an ordinary citizen, it proceeds with haste to enforce it; just ask the hundreds whose homes have been sold by the Agricultural Development Bank or First Citizens Bank which are wholly owned government institutions. Why not sell off Bakr’s land and buildings and treat him in accordance with the law? Why is Abu Bakr being treated differently by the PNM? Why does the PNM put him above the law? Mr Bakr’s assets keep growing while he travels first class, finances education for his children at top universities in the Middle East and has associates who drive new BMW’s and own sprawling estates (murdered Mark Guerra). With growing financial resources, and firm control of the URP and CEPEP Bakr pays little or no income tax to the State.

He is allowed to roam and shoot off his mouth unchecked. I voted for the PNM but when I saw Bakr at the victory party at Balisier House celebrating with top brass on the night of election and hear him boast about his role in securing the marginal seats for the PNM, my blood boil! Mr Manning loves to quote from the bible and I am certain he can find many scriptures condemning his government’s close association with the Jamaat and Bakr. He must not be allowed to continue his blackmail of the PNM because he supported them. Believe you me, we can win a lot more support without him. Please, enforce the law against Bakr and let us have our money! And stop giving this man time on national media- his voice makes me want to scream in pain and forces many to relive the trauma of the coup!!

NIEKELLE  CAESAR
Tunapuna