Politics, race, religion linked to kidnappings

THE EDITOR: Please publish this letter so that the pseudo business intellectuals in this land of ours can catch up with a very recent revelation. It is no secret that during the last three elections (two General and one local), a prominent individual from the 1990 coup attempt, was one of the major strategic planners for the present Government’s campaign. Upon it being elected, while he could not be appointed to any Ministerial or similar post, he continued to play a major role, moreso with regard to the Ministry of Works and of Social Development. The process and some public outing was made and wisely kept in the background, though still very much active. Remember the Prime Minister’s “famous” tours to meet the community leaders? Whom did he meet, where were they from, and more importantly, what was their religious persuasion? Notice a link to the spate of kidnappings, shootings, murders and more recently robberies.

Some people, in particular NAEAP, has been clamouring for a more equal share of the pie, and they even insinuated that wealth shall be distributed, one way or the other. Strange that the Ministry of National Security said or did nothing about that one. With working contacts who acquire and divulge information from banks, TSTT, etc and the religious persuasion of the perpetrators, it is no wonder that the kidnap victims are predominantly of a particular race and religion. This aside, when the Chinese restaurant operator was kidnapped, it was made clear to him that “this is not personal, we are running a business.” Madame Editor, could not the Ministry of National Security check with the Companies Registrar, and identify which firms have been set up for such businesses, and who are the owners? Given also the income derived from this can be obtained from the Vat Office on those firms. Who are their bankers? Ma’am, the income obtained from the kidnapping business has to be stored somewhere. It is only a select few who are involved, since we have never heard of more than one incident at any given time. Surely, checks can be made on the preliminary kidnap list in the hands of the police. Ask them, they know from where and whom they got such a list. Because however of that payback for political favours factor, combined with the ill-conceived social imbalance, the cops’ hands are conveniently tied. If the process that he as “elected” can’t help, then heaven help us.

L CHADEE
Chaguanas