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Who is advising President Granger on his prison pardons?

Dec 22, 2015 Letters

Dear Editor,
Similar to my views on the President’s declared intention to yearly pardon young nonviolent criminals, I support his decision to pardon 11 nonviolent female offenders. I am even more supportive since the offenders to be released are mothers. In a country in which fathers are very often absent and even when present, neglect their duties to the home, this decision of the president takes on even more significance. However the President’s determination to ensure these female offenders are home for Christmas worries me since the period between his expressed intention and Christmas day is pretty short.  This does not allow for having in place all the things necessary to give us some assurance that their release could work for the best of those pardoned, their families and the society as a whole.
Editor a mother imprisoned when her child was 12 years old and released six years later will be returning to a home where her son or daughter is an adult. So the question is – what has the prison authority; and by extension the government; done to prepare the mother for the new relationship that this development will demand? Lets’ remember, quite likely during the mother’s confinement the daughter lived with a father who did little fathering and therefore has becoming accustomed to making her own decisions. Add to this the fact that usually most of the mothers that are incarcerated come from poor communities and were recipients of fairly limited formal education and indeed might have been struggling with the task of mothering even before their incarceration. With no assistance intended to improving their parenting skills isn’t their return to homes in which there are already  adult women present (their daughter) tailor made for volatile relationships? Mr. Editor, many of us who grew up in areas and under conditions that are today defined as ‘ghettoes’ have seen this movie before. Mothers who have served a period in prison are inclined to be very protective of their off springs, determined to spare their children a similar experience. Children who have been fending for themselves for years often find such parents too protective, too harsh and perceived as authoritarian.
In Guyana with the female prison  located in New Amsterdam and getting there involves financing a journey which includes payment of a steep toll for crossing the Berbice River Bridge, visits to parents are likely to be few for children from poor families. Mr. Editor, these things into consideration, what happens if on these mothers’ return to the homes, there is chaos growing out of both mothers and children inability to adjust to the demands of this new relationship? What happens if this ends with daughters leaving the home because  mothers insist on making all the decisions in the homes without consulting, holding fast to the old view – ‘two ’big omon can live in de same house?’ What happens when young ladies frustrated and angry leave the homes – defenseless, open for scavengers to take advantage of or resort to crime for making a living? Will he who conceived of this plan to forgive, and release without preparation accept at least some of the blame? It is not enough for the President to merely tell us he is willing to take the chance of things going awry (Kaieteur News 20th December 2015). This is not a game. There is the possibility of putting in place structured programs prior to the offenders’ release that would reduce the likelihood of this happening; there is no excuse for not doing so.
Recently in a letter appearing in the Stabroek News of 19th October 2015, I spoke of the challenges growing out of the President’s decision to pardon non-violent young offenders. Challenges it would seem, his Excellency did not consider when making his decision. Now, just 2 months later action is again being considered that also will have un- catered for consequences. Consequences which a person with a first degree in Criminal Justice would certainly be capable of anticipating. Who is advising the President on these matters? Is he seeking advice at all? Is this all about Christian zeal? This is dangerous behavior.
Claudius Prince

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