TO HANG OR NOT TO HANG

Nov 21, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
To hang or not to hang has been a burning topic for decades in Guyana, the Caribbean and the wider world. On Friday November 30, Catholics throughout the world will have prayers, lighting of the church and ringing of bells…to attract attention in the move by the Church to take steps to abolish the death penalty.
That day is the World Day for the abolishment of the death penalty.
While there is debate to abolish the death penalty, it is not an easy decision to make because there are strong arguments for and against. “Thou shall not kill” is the sixth commandment. “An eye for an eye” is in Genesis in the Old Testament, but Jesus said, according to Matthew 5.37, “turn the other cheek”, in other words, no retaliation.
When I was the Chief Prosecutor in St Vincent and the Grenadines, three persons were sentenced to death. I later supported the move to commute the death sentences to life imprisonment. The death penalty does not exist in the dependent states of British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Turks and Caicos, Montserrat, Cayman Islands and Bermuda.
Statistics shows that 105 countries, which are members of the United Nations have abolished the death penalty for all crimes, and six abolished but retain for exceptional or special circumstances. Perhaps I should state that 47 countries, including Guyana, which retained capital punishment, have not used it for at least 12 years. China also imposes the death penalty as several states in the US.
Muslim countries, which abide by Sharia law prescribe various form, of capital punishment for certain offences. The punishment includes decapitating stoning and execution by firing squad…not to mention the ruthless killing of journalist Khashoggi, in Turkey. It was a horrible murder and the body was dismembered.
In the light of the gruesome and senseless murders in Guyana, it is felt by many that the death penalty should remain in the statute books, but should only be implemented in extreme cases.
The recent visit by officials of the European Union (EU) and the British High Commission to the Georgetown Prisons and the statement by National Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, that he is not thinking of rebuilding the gallows seem to be an indication that Guyana is thinking of totally abolishing the death penalty.
I should point out that although 17 persons are in death row for years there has not been an execution for the past 20 years in Guyana.

by Oscar Ramjeet

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