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Jagdeo renews calls for Granger to publish list of pardoned convicts
President David Granger, in May last year, had pardoned 60 convicts between the ages of 18 to 25 who were
President of Guyana, David Granger
found guilty of non-violent misdemeanours. This decision had come in for much criticism especially from the political Opposition.
Recently, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo renewed calls for the list of convicts to be published. At a press conference last Wednesday at Freedom House, Jagdeo stated that the people of Guyana deserve to know who are these persons being released.
Last December, Granger proceeded to pardon 11 mothers. He announced this year that he plans to pardon more prisoners as the country commemorated its 50th Independence.
The Head of State has tried to quell concerns by asking the public to have confidence in the screening process used for the selection of those prisoners to be pardoned.
According to Jagdeo, “We (PPP) have been trying for a very long time to get the list of people released by the President a year ago from the prisons.” Jagdeo continued “Our argument is that the President has the power to issue pardons but the country has a right to know who he pardons.”
Jagdeo during his press conference, said that he believes the matter is being treated as a “state secret”. He said that his party had raised the issue over six to eight months in hope that public pressure would have compelled
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo
the President to publish the list.
After these efforts have failed, the Opposition, under the Freedom of Information Act sought to approach the Commissioner of Information hoping he would have been able to give them the information.
The PPP was then told to seek the information from the primary source. The Office of the President was then written and has not responded.
After all these efforts failed, the party went on to raise the question in parliament. However, the Opposition received a notice from Speaker of the House Dr. Barton Scotland, stating that he will not allow the question.
Concerns regarding the pardoned youths were further heightened when Kelvin Bates, one of the 60 pardoned in May 2015 was involved in a robbery along with another in May this year at Rose Hall Town, Corentyne.
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