Posted July 1st. 2004 - Special Feature by David Hinds

Bacchus is victim of Guyana's tragic politics

It's almost a week since George Bacchus, the man who alleged that a government minister was involved in the operation of a death squad in Guyana, was murdered. After an initial flurry of accusations and counter accusations by the two major parties and an intimidating demonstration by opposition supporters in the commercial district of Georgetown, better sense seems to have prevailed. At least for now. I say so, because in Guyana's political atmosphere peace is fragile.

The murder, like so much that happens in Guyana, raises more questions than answers. At the time of writing, the police have still not cracked the case, but seem to be working on the theory that members of Bacchus immediate family are in some way connected to the murder. This is as strange a theory as they come, but in Guyana all things are possible. Even if the police were to be proven correct, the political connection cannot be ignored. Before his murder, Mr. Bacchus fingered a politician after which both major political parties courted him. He has left taped statements with both parties, who are equally eager to use them to prove their cases. It is therefore not unreasonable to assume in the long run a political motive for his murder.

It is easy to understand why the PPP would want Bacchus out of the way, but precisely because of this it is difficult to believe that they would authorize his murder. However, Caribbean politicians have defied logic more often than not. Why did the government play around so long before agreeing to an inquiry into Bacchus' charges? Why were they so eager to get him to retract his story? Even if he approached them, why did they not tell him to go tell his story to the inquiry?

It is harder to find a PNC motive, for their case would be stronger with him being alive. Yet the PNC's tactics are strange. Why did they not turn the evidence over to the police while Bacchus was alive? Why did Mr. Corbin, since he was armed with evidence, not bring a murder charge against the accused minister? Why did the party not take steps to protect Bacchus?

In the final analysis Bacchus is yet another victim of Guyana's tragic state of affairs. If there were any doubts that politics in Guyana is on its last leg, this murder has laid them to rest. This is beyond the demise of the rule of law. It speaks to the very heart of the reason for being a state. Hardly anything escapes the dirty the hand of the politicians' maneuverings. Even the rule of law. No citizen can feel safe or free in Guyana, because there is no official place that guarantees protection. Not the state. Not the government. Not the political parties. No person or group can speak on public matters without looking over his or her shoulders.

I share the view that for Guyana to live again, at a minimum the rule of law must be restored. But as the struggle to regain the rule of law proceeds, it is not out of place for the leaders to think about the breakdown within the context of the lawlessness that has been allowed to pass for political contestation in Guyana. When one side says it will govern at all costs and the other side says you will not govern at all, the rule of law begins to die. When one side says " I will bruck you back" and the other side says "mo fiah," the rule of law dies again. The rule of law took the final plunge when the PPP began to adhere to one set of rules and the PNC to a different set. The "Freedom Fighters" and the "Phantoms" closed the deal. And the rule of law will not be properly restored until both parties and races adhere to the same set of rules.

David Hinds lectures in Caribbean and Africana Studies at Arizona State University in the USA. He is also a political and social commentator who has written extensively on Guyana and Caribbean politics. More of his writings can be found on his GuyanaCaribbeanPolitics.com website.