There was a gas station explosion in Georgetown, Guyana. It is not confirmed if the brain (planning and construction) behind the explosive device is from across the border — Venezuela. Pix is available of one of the alleged perpetrator (there could be more) whose ethnicity seems to be from across the border. Ravi Dev and I repeatedly expressed concern about Venezuelan sleeper cells in our country? Is this explosion tied to a sleeper cell? Should Venezuela attack Guyana (invade seize Essequibo), will Hispanic Venezuelans in Guyana support our country that has been very hospitable to them? Indo and other Guyanese Venezuelans (those born in Venezuela and of Guyanese parentage) seem very local to Guyana as do many legalized Hispanics.
Quick thinking and keen alertness of the attendant at the gas station helped to prevent what otherwise would have been a greater catastrophe if the exploding device was placed near gas bottles or closer to the gasoline pump or its storage. All gas station owners and attendants must put things in place to deter a re-occurrence of this kind of explosion. The public must now be alert of their surroundings of all kinds of packages on the road or near energy facilities.
On investigation of the explosion, the police responded quickly. The forensic team also responded quickly collecting evidence and photographing the crime scene. Samples have been labeled for analysis. Now the evidence must be analyzed. I don’t think Guyana has the capacity to analyze the evidence; I don’t know the extent of our bomb expertise. The Americans should be invited to assist with re-examining the crime scene as well as analyze the evidence – what kind of device was used, source of its components, its technology, and probable finger print (who did it – an organization, a lone individual, a terror group, or even political agents). Barbados, Trinidad, and Jamaica may want to be paid for any analysis. The Americans will do it for free.
And that is why Guyana must cement ties with USA on national security. Would there have been an explosion if the Americans had a strong security presence in Guyana? Would the perpetrators have even thought of exploding a device if there were an American military or security presence in Guyana? Very unlikely! No nation or terror group or terrorist would want to go up against the mighty Americans. And no one would even think of challenging President Donald Trump especially that he has authorized the bombing of (narco) speed boats just off the coast of Venezuela and Trinidad, cancel the visa of the Colombian left wing President, and publicly gave the go ahead to the CIA to topple Maduro.
Because of the threat posed by Maduro to Guyana and deep fear among Guyanese of an attack as well as similar unsolved explosions earlier this year, this writer and others proposed closer ties with USA as a bulwark against the Venezuelan authoritarian regime. Freddie Kissoon and other left wing ideologues and politicians oppose closer ties with USA. Even some Guyanese currently living in Guyana and receiving American pensions and social security as well as medical benefits oppose deeper ties with Washington; they should return their green card and American passport and stop collecting pension and social security and going to USA for free medical services. But they won’t. They are ingrates or neemakharam! They want the American handouts but don’t want close ties. These left wingers and anti-American nationalists can’t save Guyana from Maduro’s military and sleeper cells. Fortunately, President Irfaan and VP Jagdeo ignore these fools and have developed closer relations with USA. Guyana needs deeper security linkage with USA; making Guyana an adjunct of USA will provide even greater protection. Maduro will not even think of occupying an inch of Guyana territory and certainly not while Trump is President if Guyana has a formal linkage with USA.
Guyana needs USA for physical protection and to deter terror attacks as well from the kind of explosions that rattled the city Sunday night.
