GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Prominent immigration consultant and human rights activist Mark Benschop has launched a scathing critique of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government in the wake of the recent terrorist bomb attack in Georgetown, holding the administration directly responsible for the incident that killed a young girl and injured several others.
In an interesting and wide-ranging episode of his “Mark Benschop Podcast,” the activist asserted that the government’s alleged history of condoning criminality and undermining national security has created an atmosphere where such attacks can occur.
“They have created this atmosphere. They have nurtured this sort of behavior,” Benschop stated. “And so when you see these things that are happening right now in Guyana, you blame the government, you blame the PPP.”
Benschop’s commentary was pointed and personal, focusing on what he described as a pattern of negligence and political opportunism. He expressed particular outrage that President Dr. Irfaan Ali remained abroad in Saudi Arabia following the attack.
“Any person who sits there in the Office of the President, in that seat, if they had any respect for the citizens of Guyana, they would have been back on the next flight,” he said. “He doesn’t really care. And look, we gotta be honest, he doesn’t care. They do not care.”
The activist levied a series of grave allegations against the government, claiming it has condoned activities ranging from narco-trafficking and gold smuggling to associations with alleged “death squad killers.” He argued that this culture of impunity has dire consequences for the nation’s security.
“When you have a government that is in bed with narco traffickers, gold smugglers, fuel smugglers, human traffickers, you name it… What do you expect?” Benschop asked his audience. “How do you expect a nation to move forward with such a government?”
Benschop also strongly criticized the government’s initial response to the attack, specifically what he perceived as a rush to assign blame without evidence and the deployment of “propagandists” to shift the narrative. He accused officials of contaminating the crime scene for “photo ops” and showing “crocodile tears” while having no genuine regard for the victims.
“We have seen them. We know them,” he said, referencing past tragedies. “They show up. They pretend as though they’re crying crocodile tears with no respect or regard for the crime scene.”
A significant portion of Benschop’s criticism was directed at the nation’s immigration and vetting processes, which he labeled incompetent and politically motivated. He alleged that the government has freely distributed Guyanese identification cards to thousands of foreign nationals to “prop up the voters list,” with no regard for national security.
“That is why Guyana is seeing what they’re seeing today as a result of an incompetent, corrupt, criminal regime,” he declared.
Expressing a profound lack of trust in the Guyana Police Force, Benschop called for an immediate international investigation into the bombing, specifically naming the FBI (United States), Scotland Yard (United Kingdom), and Canadian authorities as necessary for a credible and transparent inquiry.
“I do not trust the Guyana police force to investigate this matter. I repeat, I do not trust them at all,” he stated.
Amidst the strong condemnation, Benschop singled out one individual for praise, the female pump attendant who was seen on video confronting the suspect. He hailed her as a “hero” whose actions may have prevented greater loss of life and called on the Mayor of Georgetown to award her with a key to the city.
“She stood up to that terrorist,” Benschop said. “She deserves to be treated [as] a hero.”
Benschop concluded his remarks by quoting a biblical proverb: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” He applied this to the current situation in Guyana, stating, “That is what’s happening in Guyana right now… the people mourn.”
