The Revenge Of Ralph E. Gonsalves

Each time an honest man or woman stands up against or lends a voice of objection against wrong or injustice, he or she can expect to be prosecuted for his actions. And anytime an individual stands up against and or lends a voice of objection against Ralph Gonsalves, he or she can expect a particular mode of revenge; which is, he will use his position, his office and or his influence, to victimise that or those individual(s).

We have seen this in the unfair and premature dismissal of Mr Cummings (ex-manager of the Central Water and Sewage authority, who moved that government-owned corporation from a debt plagued institution to a profitable institution); Major Leacock (the man who also took the indebted Vinlect and turn it into a profitable, multimillion dollar government corporation) and the hundreds of New Democratic Party (NDP) supporters that were unfairly and prematurely dismissed because of their allegiance to the NDP. We have seen the unfair transfer and punishment of staff nurse Janice Lewis for reporting the finding of an STD in a mother and a daughter that infected by… Let me shut my mouth before one of SVG’s big bad wolves sues me.

However, anytime an honest individual speaks in the name of justice and it is against the big bad, sorry, big dirty wolf and chief victimiser (the one who is responsible for creating victims), then we know there are going to be repercussions.

When I first heard of the allegations made by the female police officer against the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves and when I heard of Ralph’s efforts to pervert the course of justice, I wrote my first letter, which was titled “Let justice be done in St Vincent.” I have been sending this article to the News newspaper, the Searchlight and the Vincentian, for a month before I had the letter published on Caribbean Net News. Up to today’s date (19-06-2008) none of the newspapers (who normally give me a voice) has published that article. Thanks to Caribbean Net News, the oasis in a desert of injustice.

However, after my letter was published and was read on Nice radio, a series of events began to happen to me on my job right here in Bermuda. Yes, the Prime Minister’s friend from Georgetown, Randy Liverpool, Superintendent of Police and his newfound friend, George Jackson, Commissioner of Police, launched an all-out attack against me.

My cell and home phone were tapped, listening apparatuses was placed in my room, and tracking devices were installed on my car, I was followed 24 hours-a-day for three months. There are three police officers who had become the target of the Bermuda Police Service, all for different reasons, but I, Allan H.F Palmer, became public enemy number one.

Ever since I publicly declared (this declaration was done in the presence of one of my countrymen) my intention to help the alleged rape victim fight for due process and my failed submission to have my first letter published by the newspapers in SVG. George Jackson and Randy Liverpool have been trying to prove their allegiance to the Prime Minister by trying to have me fired and they had to make it look legitimate. As a matter of fact they have turned me into a folk hero here in Bermuda, in this case a symbol of strength of one that is not afraid.

After the Royal Gazette reporter Sam Strangeway did a front page story of me and my blog, giving me credit for my work on the blog, this angered the comrade and his friends. They had to do something to stop this man (Allan H.F Palmer).

So the guys came up with a master plan. They arranged a beautiful girl (with whom I was friendly; also what they offered her I don’t know) to call and request some insignificant information form the police system. Although the information was insignificant, I was aware that the Bermuda Police Service has ways and means of cheaply dispensing such information. So I decided to complete the documentation for the young lady and I encouraged the pretty face young lady to use the system as is provided for these purposes.

At 1:30pm that day I was summoned to Commissioner of Police George Jackson’s office for a meeting. And these are the words he said to me, and I quote, “You have been embarrassing the Prime Minister and the Government of St Vincent. You must stop it or we are going to take action against you. However, I am here to warn you that you will be on suspension pending the outcome of the investigation. Your suspension papers have already been drawn up and you will be served today.” I then asked the reason for my suspension, it was then I was told that I have violated the Police Confidentiality Act. This was so funny that I laughed heartily. Thank God for my trusty micro digital recorder.

Soon after they were informed that I did not fall for the plot, I was excused from the meeting and sent back to my work with a compliment of how good a worker I am. A few weeks later I was suspended on the allegation that I have disobeyed a direct order from the Commissioner of Police (an alleged order which was given in the meeting I mentioned above) and I have been on suspension for the last five months. I was suspended on an allegation that I disobeyed a direct order from the Commissioner of Police; yet there were PC Glen Kellman, who was investigated, charged and prosecuted for Grievous Bodily Harm. There were then PCs Fox, Miguel, Mitchell, Baghawn, and Telemaque, all of whom was investigated, charged and prosecuted for a series of criminal offences, which included Assault and Bodily Harm, Attempting to Pervert the Course of Justice, etc. There was also PC Dennis Archer, who was investigated, charged, prosecuted and convicted for causing Grievous Bodily Harm to his girl friend, yet none of these police officers who stood trial for criminal offences were ever suspended, but were allowed to continue to perform duties in the capacity of a police officer. Yet I was suspended for a simple allegation.

No police officer in any part of the world has an obligation to comply with a direct order from any senior officer if he knows that order is unlawful. This can be found in any Police Act and it is in the Bermuda Police Service Act 1974.

Can you imagine that after sustaining a broken coccyx bone and having a surgical procedure done on me, that I am going through all of this? Yes, I am presently on sick leave for two very painful conditions yet I have got to go through this. Mr and Mrs Palmer did not bring up any weakling who runs and hides his head in shame at the first sign of disappointment. I am from Bottom Town, I have no shame and why should anyone be ashamed for doing what is right. This whole series of event was the catalyst that revived and invigorated me.

I am not writing this letter to invoke your sympathy; I may have to walk away from a job, but, for me, life will go on. Instead, I implore you to give your sympathy and empathy to the young police officer who was allegedly striped of her dignity by her beloved leader, give it to the young human rights lawyer who had allegedly suffered the indignity of her body being violated, and give it to the hundreds or probably thousand of underage and other women who were violated sexually and otherwise by those who were put in place to make their lives better. Dr Gonsalves, I may have to walk away from my job and that is quite okay, but just remember that God is so good, he doesn’t ever sleep and I am still his favourite child.