The security of every citizen is equally important

May 14, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
The recent attack on Magistrate Nigel Hawke was yet again another demonstration of the prevailing violence in our land, and was rightly denounced.
Such unwarranted attacks we should not wish for anyone be he/she magistrate or scavenger.
And while it was expected the Guyana Bar Association and the Magistrates Association of Guyana would be most concerned with the assault on one of their members, one couldn’t miss the dread and shrill in their condemnation of this attack.

The GBA/MAG almost went into a fit; hysterical shouts, summoning a meeting with Minister Rohee, Commissioner of Police and other senior security, calling for the implementation of immediate and sustained intervention for the overall security across the country of the magistrate courts and residents.
What with all this sudden rage, dread and demand for special protection four square? Having the police place guards at the homes of all magistrates; to commence and continue regular mobile patrol at residents of judicial personnel.

In fact according to the SN of Apri123rd they have already “succeeded in having the police guards at the homes of all magistrates…”
Now let’s reason. All sections of society have been vulnerable, have tasted the bitter experience of violence, decent, ordinary everyday law abiding working people are daily victims of all sorts of injustices, violent crimes harassments and abuses.

This country has, from since the murder of Monica Reece witnessed a quantum leap in violence of the most gruesome kinds that have to some degree had a petrifying effect in our nation. People have been beheaded! Chopped in pieces! Burned alive; riddled by bullets, raped, robbed, kidnapped, murdered and buried. We have been feeding on a regular diet of violent/crime that have “Grown like giants everywhere”.

This is what we should have been hearing the GBA/MAG in shrilling tone protesting and losing sleep over, and should have been urging the Guyana police to “exert all effort to secure the immediate apprehension of the offenders responsible”, for those attacks on our citizens.
In like manner, summon meetings with the Home Affairs Minister and Commissioner of Police to bring the situation under control.

Why should it still be, that in spite of all that we are seeing we remain tightly wrapped up in self; lean and mean in empathising with other sadness until we become victims by similar deed(s).
But because fate, like a pendulum swings to and fro and we know not what tomorrow brings, the unexpected and unpleasant forever stands in waiting.
The GBA/ MAG approach and goals should be seen as less self serving; see the rage of crime consuming our society a scourge to all, and genuine and general concern for the security and well being of every single citizen and not a particular category, not until the grass can welcome lovers unmolested, only then should the GBA/MAG sleep.
Frank Fyffe