Too many languishing in jail for too long awaiting trial

Mar 18, 2013 News

– Pres. Ramotar

President Donald Ramotar has lamented that “too many of our people are languishing in jail for too long awaiting trial.”
He made the observation while outlining the need for the police and the judiciary to work hand in hand to ensure that justice is served at the opening of the just concluded Police Officers’ Conference.
According to the President, the administration has done its part by appointing more judges and magistrates into the system.
“We have increased more capacity in this area,” he said.
He explained that his administration has embarked on a programme to revamp the entire judicial system- implementing legislation which almost eliminates the lengthy Preliminary Inquiries.

President Donald Ramotar inspects the guard of honour prior to the opening of the just concluded Annual Officers’ Conference of the Guyana Police Force.

Additionally, he pointed to the establishment of specialized courts being on the cards to accelerate litigation-all intended to ensure that justice can be delivered in a timely manner.
The President also referred to new legislations to deal with domestic violence and sexual offences, which he described as probably the most up-to-date in the Region.
“Therefore the people of this country…expect more effective results. After all the police force has never been so equipped as they are today…and work in the judiciary has never been so dynamic, at least in living memory. We therefore expect to have more results and people should not be languishing in prison waiting for trial for so long,” President Ramotar stated.
The President did not only show concern for those who find themselves on the wrong side of the law; he also expressed his feelings about the victims of crime.
While he is calling for speedy trial for those behind bars he also lamented the time it takes for the victims to get justice and find closure to the heart rending chapters of their lives.
According to the President, his administration is working on enhancing the capacity of the police to increase their level of convictions.
This position comes especially at a time when a number of cases remain unsolved and several accused are walking free, due to lack of evidence and in some cases, improper police work.
To this end, he made it clear that government has been expending more resources on training the country’s lawmen, particularly in the field of forensic science to man the soon to be commissioned state-of-the-art forensic laboratory at Turkeyen.
He stressed that the Guyana Police Force should tap in more to universities so that their ranks could benefit from courses that will have some relevance to the work they do.
He told the officers that on many occasions he has interacted with the relatives of victims and their pain over the absence of justice is very much evident.
“I feel their pain. The fact that they cannot bring closure to some of their issues pains me as well,” said the Guyanese leader.
He specifically referred to the case of the murdered Sheema Mangar which up to this day is still engaging the attention of the police who are awaiting test results from samples sent to a Caribbean laboratory.
“We must develop our capacity to do these things in a better way. And this of course is part of the plan to reform the Police Force to make it more efficient and much more effective,” the President stated.