EVERYONE IS AFFECTED BY THESE REPORTS

Jun 27, 2011 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

The law needs to take a serious position as regards kidnapping and abduction. Over the past week we have had a few cases whereby individuals claimed that they were abducted.
It is being reported that one of the cases may have been a staged event. In another instance, there was a report of an abduction plot at Parika. These reports are not good for Guyana.
They paint a negative image of our country. Guyana is not, and has never been, the kidnapping capital of the region. The sudden reappearance in recent days has sent fear and shockwaves throughout the country.
Guyanese resident overseas have also been discussing these incidents. They too are worried because they have families in Guyana and they are concerned about their safety. The country’s image takes a battering because of these reports.
Imagine someone planning to come to Guyana for their vacation and intending to bring their kids along. That person is going to have second thoughts when they read about all these abductions, and may immediately change their minds. Never mind that some of these reports may turn out to be false, the damage would have already been done and there is little that can be done to reverse this image immediately.
The country as a whole suffers when these things occur because people have a negative image of Guyana and want nothing to do with it. Tourism falls away and foreign nations send out travel advisories warning their citizens not to only travel to Guyana unless it is absolutely necessary.
Within the country also, the whole idea of an abduction/ kidnapping sends up the blood pressure of the nation. People are stressed. They do not want to go outdoors. They do not wish to send their children outside of the home for fear they may become the next victim. The country becomes locked down because persons are fearful that they may become the next victim. Business suffers as a consequence.
People have reason to be worried. Guyana is also notorious for copy-cat crimes. One thing happens and some other criminal minds get the same idea and the next thing you know is that similar crimes begin to occur throughout the country. This is therefore not good for the country and definitely not good for those affected.
The stress of having to ensure the abduction/ kidnapping of a relative can kill you. It can also bankrupt you because you have to spend money calling this person and that person, going here and there. All of this adds up.
It also affects as stated the entire country which is on a knife’s edge whenever these reports become public. There is also a high cost to the government which has to send out large search parties and dedicate additional resources to dealing with this sort of crime. This takes away from other efforts.
As such the authorities need to take a strong stand whenever it is discovered that a kidnapping has been staged or whenever someone is found who is actually involved in an abduction or kidnapping.
The best resources must be put to the prosecution of those who either stage or are complicit in a kidnapping. A strong signal should be sent to those persons who may have intentions to kidnap or abduct another. Either way the law must show no mercy for these individuals because by their actions they have caused great distress to the entire nation.
This does not mean that the authorities should, without sufficient evidence, simply conclude that because a victim turns up that the victim has staged his or her abduction or kidnapping. Detailed debriefing and investigations must take place so as to get to the bottom of what took place because right now the tension in the society caused by last weeks incidents is taking a toll on the mental health of the population.

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EVERYONE IS AFFECTED BY THESE REPORTS

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