Revise penalties for gun crimes and drunk driving

Oct 03, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
Sometime ago I wrote on the penalties meted out to persons who run foul of the law in gun crimes and drunken driving, that these individuals are to receive longer sentencing.
To date my pleas have fallen on deaf ears and the nonsense continues.
I have before me two items from the Kaieteur News for discussion, “Cop who lost gun dismissed” and another, “Drunk driver fined for accident with Police Commissioner’s vehicle”.
In the first case mentioned that cop told his story after the matter came up under investigation, and his punishment was dismissal.
In my book, he should have been dealt with more harshly. In Guyana today these stories of lost firearms and the punishment that goes with it, just do not match. Not so long ago the army’s arsenal “lost” firearms, 31 high powered guns. It is interesting to note what became of that matter.
Heinous gun crimes are committed on a daily basis yet our courts continue to issue such light sentences which cause one to wonder are we serious when we speak of bringing a halt to this sort of thing or are we waiting for another Lusignan and Bartica massacres?
If we are to make any headway in bringing the murder rate down on gun crimes, sentencing must be significant so that offenders cannot bother society anymore.
In the second article mentioned, that drunken driver was only fined $7,500. Such a paltry sum makes me wonder if those administering justice are in their right minds.
Yes the answer to that is he did not kill anyone, but I would hasten to add to that statement – are we tacitly saying drunken driving is not a crime after all and one need to cause death before any action can be taken? Again I make the call for a revision of the penalties involving these crimes.
Neil Adams

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