President pardons 11 mothers in prison

Dec 20, 2015 News

Who says that there is no Santa Claus? Try telling that to 11 female prison inmates who are beginning to believe that he has come in the form of President David Granger.

President David Granger

The Guyanese leader has announced that he will be pardoning the 11 inmates, so that they can be released in time to spend Christmas with their families this year.
Those to be pardoned are women incarcerated for non- violent offences; offences which do not involve trafficking in persons and trafficking in narcotics.
They could be released as early as tomorrow.
“My emphasis is on women who are mothers first, parents of young children. I want them to be home for Christmas. In a way I would say that is an act of compassion,” the President said.
Earlier this year the President pardoned dozens of young offenders, as part of Guyana’s 49th Independence Anniversary celebrations.
He acknowledged that there are persons who are critical of his actions with regards to pardoning convicted prisoners, but the Guyanese leader stated that he is entitled to some compassion.
President Granger told journalists during the weekly televised programme ‘The Public Interest’ that he intends to maintain the tradition of Presidential pardons for convicts who are incarcerated for non-violent offences.
“I’ve said repeatedly that young persons belong in college, university and schools and not in jail, and I’ve laid down criteria. I receive advice from the Minister of Legal Affairs, it is not arbitrary or whimsical on my part and we hope to ensure that when young persons, boys and girls, are released from jail, they get an opportunity to attend some rehabilitative programme so that they don’t go to jail again,” President Granger said.
He explained that the administration is working with someone who is mounting a rehabilitative programme. It is hoped that young people who are released from prison would be able to attend those courses and be meaningfully re-integrated into society.
He added that he does not see why teenagers should be sentenced to long periods of incarceration for offences such as stealing cell phones.
“I don’t believe that somebody should be damned forever for stealing a cell phone. There’s a trail that would stay with that person whenever he or she applies for a job. I do believe in forgiveness,” he explained.
The President said he believes that if a person is incarcerated for too long for a minor offence, he or she could become a habitual criminal, but if that person is given a chance through early release, he could make a turnaround in his life and follow a meaningful career.
“I know there are other factors, but I intend to do this every Christmas for women, particularly for mothers, and every Independence Day for young persons,” the President declared.
But what happens if the pardoned person does not make good on the opportunity given to them and goes back and commits him or herself?
The President said that that is a chance he is willing to take, arguing that a lot of people go to prison and never get reformed.
He said that those pardoned persons who recommit themselves will make themselves ineligible for release again.
“I’m not the sort of perpetual releaser. If they are given the opportunity and they waste the opportunity, well they will serve the time,” President Granger stated.