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Excuse me; I have a view

Nov 21, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
The Kaieteur News published vivid images weeks ago of a young man who was tortured while in police custody.
I could not find words to describe my feelings but to put it lightly this still haunts me. As I read the story it became clear that yet again the police made the headlines, but for all the wrong reasons.
Even though there have been many such cases in the past, they were just swept under the carpet and soon forgotten.
This one beat them all by far and this time it should not be allowed to be forgotten. I was happy to hear lawyers, along with CN Sharma, on television, condemning this barbaric act.
Though shocking, it was not surprising that police brutality is once again the subject that has brought Guyana under the spotlight of the international community. Great going Guyana, hats off to the leaders of this country!
We care so much about saving the world but not in the least about our own people whose fundamental rights no longer exist and even more scary the total disregard for the supreme law of the land, the constitution.
While many would like to argue that the entire police force does not condone such heinous acts, the facts still remains that there are criminals in the force and this paints a bad picture for the honest, hard working men and women who serve in protecting the citizens of this country.
What is also quite evident is that the police force faces serious limitations and lacks the technology to carry out proper investigations to prosecute criminals.
Torture should never have a place in any civilized society, and as such, anyone who engages in this inhumane treatment of others should be treated as criminals and prosecuted likewise. No one is above the law and police officers do not have more rights than the ordinary man under the law, they have to obey the laws of the land in the process of executing their duties.
The time has come for us to recognize that such old methods of doing things have become outdated and the necessary investment in the relevant technology to upgrade the police force must be made now.
Restructuring the many failed systems is most urgent at this time before the entire fabric of our society disintegrates and we are reduced to a lawless, immoral and hopeless society.
I have great difficulty with people who are of the view that some policemen are judges and they are capable of replacing the entire judiciary.
It is sad but also true that there are at least three organizations that claim to represent the rights of Amerindians, but yet they are silent on the entire issue.
Their interests seem to be more in the LCDS proposal and what benefits can be had by supporting such a proposal.
While the idea may appear brilliant, saving the world is not only our business, the rest of the world who contribute to carbon pollution will one day wake up and change the way they do things. We must also be cognizant that we are very small in the whole scheme of things and the possibility exists that if there is going to be any benefit it will be minimal. Come on Amerindian brothers and sisters, stop being used, wake up and smell the coffee. We are a strong people, we can think independently of any influence or make-belief notion that we are suddenly so important when others just need to use us for their personal gains.
Stop praising failed systems on national television simply because some minor projects are done in your communities. We survived the great ice age and the invasion of the cruel Europeans in the 15th and 16th century.
We need to start demanding answers and respect from this government.
Ian Hernandez

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