It was the teachers!

Oct 11, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
On Tuesday October 5th, 2010, the world celebrated World Teachers Day. The world over sang its praises of teachers both professionals and non professionals. Teachers are mothers and fathers, a friend, a confidant, a disciplinarian, a provider and often times security guards. Teachers ever so often go above and beyond the call of duty to do more than what is expected of them.
Many times their contributions are not highlighted because they don’t want to tell of their sacrifices for their charge. Mind you readers, I don’t want to make it look as if I am writing this letter to let there be an increase in teachers’ salaries or an improvement in the working conditions of teachers throughout Guyana. I penned this letter because I read with utter disgust a letter to the editor of the Guyana Chronicles on Wednesday October 6th, 2010 which castigated the teachers of Queen’s College for letting this horrendous act be perpetuated against Neesa Lalita Gopaul.
What a heartless letter writer who failed to investigate the facts of the case, before she sat down to pen such heartless words about a situation she knew absolutely nothing about. Madam writer you have injured the heart and pride of all the teaching staff of Queen’s College. Not because of your callous attempt to vindicate the relevant authorities who were indeed responsible for allowing such an act to turn in to both a national and international tragedy.
Madam writer you are pointing your fingers in the wrong direction. Take it off of the teachers and put in on a failed social system, which did not allow the teachers to do more than could have been done to save this teen.
It is against this background that I penned this simple letter in utter disgust at your words letter writer and am now wondering what are your true motives for writing such a letter? I know the teachers of Queen’s College will not stoop to your level and respond to such flagrant ignorance and ploy to be caught up in a word game with you but I deem it my social duty to defend them even if they will not speak for themselves but sit in silent pain, while you castigate them for doing nothing.
Let me school you madam letter writer for if you don’t know the facts, just shut up and don’t add insult to an already bad situation. For your information it was the teachers of Queen’s College who first made the authorities aware of Neesa’s plight. They called in the mother and confronted her about the situation immediately after the father died when they realised that Neesa was paining silently while having the biggest smile on her face. It was the teachers who began highlighting her plight to the relevant authorities. It was the teachers who provided the human services with all the evidence of her abuse; it was the teachers who cried with her when they felt so helpless to help her after the system would have failed both them and her.  It was the teachers who made the public aware that more than likely it would be Neesa who was dead because they knew what she was going through from the little they were privy to. It was the teachers who dissuaded her mother from taking her out of school on more than one occasion when she came to do so and would have probably disappear off the radar long before anyone had a clue as to the true motive of this woman.  It was the teachers who gave her money to do assignments when her mother disconnected the internet and she was unable to do her school work or came to school hungry. It was the teachers! It was the teachers! What kind of monsters do you think the teachers of Queen’s College are madam letter writer?
I ask myself is it that you are so brainless or heartless that you will attack the teachers of Queen’s College and not attach her aunt and other family members who knew more than the teacher of Queen’s College did and had the opportunity to take it a little further and if I may say so take her out of the situation. Blame the incompetent and corrupt police officers who turned a blind eye or took a bribe when matters were reported to them. Blame the incompetent social workers who failed to follow proper procedures when dealing with this matter and returned Neesa to an abusive home when all the signs were there.
Stop blaming the teachers of Queen’s College, not because they will not respond to your hurtful and disrespectful words that no one else will come to their defence. Yes the teachers feel they could have done a little more for Neesa but, were prevented. They too are hurting more than you madam will ever know. I just wonder, what are your true motives?
Is your motive for blaming the teachers of Queen’s College a way of diverting attention from the real culpable parties of this heinous act? Or is this a calculated attempt to cast shadow on that prestigious institution, so that you will further your own gain? Let me say no one should take any mileage from this horrible situation.
This is a national tragedy that should serve as awake up call to us all, that we should no longer stay silent and mind our own business. No it is not only the alleged perpetuators of this crime to be blamed but all those who had the necessary means of helping Neesa and did nothing. Even if we would want to claim that Neesa mother is innocent because she was under the influence of drugs and manipulation of Barry Small and she could not have helped herself, I still say that she is responsible for exposing and allowing her daughter to go through what she did. To all mothers out there I ask this question. Can a mother tender care/ love ceased toward the child she bears?
So madam letter writer when next you pick up your pen to write please know all the facts before you accuse people of things you don’t know of. I would just not want to hope that this is a consorted attempt by someone in a certain place to destroy Queen’s College by so attacking its teachers.
To the teachers of Queen’s College who have touched Neesa’s life in some small way while she walked through those hollow walls. I applaud all that you may have done to help her in your own way. Continue to do your work to the best of your abilities and refused to be daunted by this  ignorance and uncompassionate letter writer.
I say this to the Guyanese public, pleases don’t be distracted by this letter writer. To our president I implore you to let this case take top priority and even if we have to ask for international detectives such as Scotland Yard and those with the technological capabilities to assist us. Please Mr. President do ever thing in your power to let the punishment fit the crime.
They should not be allowed to get away with this crime simply because we might not have the expertise to gather the evidence and the law may be used to their advantage. Moreover if the DPP is ill equipped to produce the lawyers and I am not saying they are. I am asking you to invite senior councils such as Mr. Bernard deSantos, Mr. Rex Mckay etc. to assist Mrs. Hack, because anyone else who may attempt to contemplate such an act in the future will be deterred.
I know that the world over is watching us to see what will come of this case. Mr. President don’t fail us, don’t fail Neesa for she will never rest in perfect peace if justice is not done.
Don’t fail the international world and Guyanese in the wider Diaspora. Finally we should have a national day of mourning for Neesa and all the children like her in similar situation. Let us shed our tears publicly. For this will never happen again. Gone Neesa but you will never be forgotten.
Name and address withheld

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