“Mr. Rohee, why not give it a shot?”

Sep 03, 2015 Letters

Dear Editor,
In your September 1, 2015, issue, page 3, I read with elevated optimism about the gun amnesty program and the proffered pros and cons of this initiative. With equal chagrin, I also read the conclusion arrived at by Mr. Rohee, thereby propelling me to write. As a caveat, though a Guyanese by birth, I have lived in the United stated for over 35 years and am apolitical and rarely write/comment on the goings on in Guyana. However, permit me space in your newspaper to respectfully disagree with the singular opinion of former Minister, Mr. Clement Rohee, and the collective opinion of the law enforcement establishment that, supposedly, concurred thereof.
I will make references to two such instances that come to mind…one in Canarsie (a predominantly white neighborhood), Queens and another in the Bedford Stuyvesant area (predominantly black neighborhood), in Brooklyn. In one instance, money was exchanged for the weapons and ordnance handed in. And clothes and foodstuff were exchanged at the other location. Religious groups were influential in the success of these initiatives and, personally, I measured success when the first bullet and handgun was handed in. But I ask; how does one arrive at a formula to deem this initiative a success? Is any established benchmark truly a measurement of success?
I believe that even if ONE SINGLE BULLET IS TURNED IN, THAT IS ONE POTENTIAL LIFE SAVED, ONE LESS DROP OF BLOOD SPILLED AND ONE LESS TRAUMA FOR ALL! This redirects my acute focus to the Guyana conundrum. Revisions of the prior conclusion of this phenomenon (unsuccessful gun amnesty) should not be met by derision, deconstructive criticism, theory or supposition (Mr. Rohee’s proclamation), but by providing empirical evidence to the contrary. In the absence of living proof, in the Guyanese context, Mr. Rohee’s statement on this issue remains unacceptably careless and hollow. On the contrary, however, I applaud and commend the Honorable Minister, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan and the Granger-led administration, for reviving and pursuing this initiative to completion. The lives of all Guyanese should not be a political gambit for any faction or population segment, but should be embraced as critical components for an evolving Guyana.
Bitter as the brew is for the PPP/CIVIC to drink from, Guyana is inclusive of all and their failure to win the May 2015 election should be considered as a collective opportunity for their introspection and growth. The lives and welfare of their loved ones will be, I believe, just as endangered as that of all Guyanese…and if Mr. Rohee is speaking on behalf of the Opposition Party, I say, ‘Mr. Rohee, why not give it a shot?” (no pun intended) .
Jonathan Subrian

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“Mr. Rohee, why not give it a shot?”

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