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Hamilton Green’s thoughts on the death penalty
Dear Editor;
Proposal by His Excellency, David Granger states the issue of the death penalty by way of referendum, flows from man who is as wise as Solomon.
Here goes my verbal staccato. Every story has more than one side.
My comment may provide the basis for legislation one way or the other, but, will it end the “story”.
I am writing from an area in the developed world where some persons killed policemen, where a gentleman drove a truck on a holiday killing dozens of persons in France, and the sad story goes on all over the world. In Guyana, just one day ago, a young man butchered his 70 year old stepfather.
We have had the old well known Monica Reece murder, the murder of young Saleena as she tried to retrieve her cell phone. Another young college student was murdered and the story goes on.
The death penalty was intended many generations ago to put an end to human slaughter or best, ‘persuade’ persons not to kill. The sad saga is sustained.
Of course the Holy Book states, “Thou shall not Kill” and this injunction never offered conditionality – plain and simple “Thou shall not Kill”.
Everything in human society must be seen in the context of the time.
I recall receiving complaints from members of a neighbourhood about noise nuisance emanating from the services of a religious group. I called the latter group in and related to them the concerns expressed by the neighbourhood, including the complaint of being unable to sleep, children studying etc.
The leading member of the religious organization quoted from the Holy Book that, they are told to ‘make a joyful noise unto the Lord’. I reminded those leaders that when those word were said and the injunction issued they were no amplifiers and massive loud speakers. My point is that everything must be seen in context.
I have not come out on either side. Don’t call me a coward. I will pronounce on this matter and I expect others in good time. I wonder whether we have given thought to the sorrowing family members who had their loved ones killed with no compensation, but now see their taxes used to feed, clothe and provide shelter to those who killed their loved ones.
Justice is a funny thing and a perplexing situation in our society. It may be that there is need to redefine the type of killers and decide what form of punishment is appropriate.
The person who breaks into family homes, rapes, kills and steals and the person who set fire to a home causing the deaths of two innocent children ought to be treated differently as to the person who kills by fighting another. As I understand it, once a person is convicted of murder there is only one penalty, that is the death penalty.
Before we settle this issue it should take into account our social infrastructure. Do we have infrastructure? Do we have the appropriate rehabilitation facilities for drug infested fifteen year olds who kill so savagely? Is our judicial and criminal investigating system as such that the person convicted in our court are really guilty of the charge?
This is just the beginning of this important question.
Hamilton Green, OR.
Former Mayor of Georgetown
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