Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
Rohee criticises Gov’t on Presidential pardons
–says Cabinet consultations not good enough
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has come down heavily on President David Granger’s decision
PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee
to pardon 11 women prisoners. One point that the party has premised its argument on is the fact that the President cannot base his decision on consultation on such an issue with his legal advisor, Attorney General Basil Williams.
The PPP is of the view that for such a matter, the Attorney General and the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, were inadequate consultants on the issue. This comes despite the fact that former President Donald Ramotar was heavily criticized for pardoning a child killer earlier this year.
Rohee said that there were no consultations at the time.
“Consulting with (Basil) Williams and (Khemraj) Ramjattan is unconvincing, as they are in the same political (circle),” Rohee said. “And in any case, what if they disagree?”
“Prisoners in general are both “lifers” (while) others are entitled to parole, or remission in respect of their sentences,” Rohee, a former Minister of Home Affairs, continued. “There are established processes in place for both instances and they have been working well in the past. The records would attest to this.”
Rohee went so far as to suggest that the previous administration did not abuse the Presidential pardon prerogative. This comes against the backdrop of Ramotar, who made the decision to pardon convicted child killer, Ravindra Deo, just before he left Presidential office.
Deo had been sentenced to death (later commuted to life in prison) for the 1994 murder of eight-year-old, Vishnu Bhim, of Annandale, East Coast Demerara. Ramotar had based his decision on the premise that the parents would have had enough time to heal from the emotional wounds.
That was debunked when the parents of the murdered child expressed their grievance with
Pardoned child killer, Ravindra Deo
the former President’s decision. In addition, there had been an outcry from civil organizations, incensed by the pardon.
Rohee was reminded of this instance and the fact that the pardon process has been the President’s prerogative for years. Rohee’s response was that he was “not aware” of the comparative pardon statistics between previous Guyana Presidents.
He did admit that Guyanese were upset about the Ravindra Deo pardon. He could not say whether there were any consultations on the pardon, but stated that the matter was dealt with at the Office of the President.
Every President had granted pardons. Forbes Burnham would grant pardons on special occasions. Dr. Cheddi Jagan had pardoned a mother who killed her two children even before she went on trial.
Granger had announced a few days ago that as an “act of compassion” he would pardon 11 mothers in prison for non-violent, non-trafficking and non narcotic related offences. He made this announcement on the weekly “The Public Interest” television programme.
Granger had related that pursuant to this, he would issue pardons to young women, particularly mothers, every Christmas. He had also stated that at every Independence Day, youths fitting the non-violent criteria would benefit from this pardon.
And for all his criticisms, Rohee was in no position to say whether any of those pardoned had returned to the prison system.
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