There are just too many escapes

May 09, 2020 Editorial

The reports keep filtering into the public’s consciousness of prisoner escapes from one holding facility or the other. These fearful circumstances only add to the tenseness and other discomforts that Guyanese face daily. It is psychologically wounding, spiritually uninspiring.
From the coverages of KN, there was information about four from the makeshift Lusignan jail (KN April 21). Two of the four were being held for murder, the third for an armed felony, and the last one for possession. When these incidents happen, they remind of how shaky our sensitive institutions are, and how fragile is our individual and collective psyche. There is a question that comes to mind almost by rote now: does it have to be so often? Often may be regarded by the authorities as a stretch, but even when one of these escapes occur, it is one too much. And when the violent number among those jumping the fences, then only the worst could be surmised as to purposes and consequences of their seized freedom.
In May, the news report that greeted was that “Juvenile prisoners overpower police, free colleagues” (KN May 7). According to this item, eleven juveniles forced their way to freedom, with five of them recaptured within 48 hours. Of great concern is that among those who escaped were some accused of murder. As is normal when such undesirable events occur, an investigation has been ordered and a full report should follow.
Though now is the worst time to critique anyone on almost anything outside of elections and virus precautions, we take the bit in our teeth to ask some pertinent questions. It is our belief that they represent the positions of most worried citizens. To begin with: why are these disturbing escapes happening from time to time, with not much of an interval between them? With an eye to the limitations and circumstances surrounding these facilities, what else can be implemented that makes the thoughts and plans for these daring jailbreaks to fail to come to any degree of fruition? What is being done now that needs revising or outright scrapping? What more could be brought to bear to assure the full compliance of both the imprisoned population as well as attentions and efforts of their keepers? And for how much longer would this rickety facility that is the Lusignan penitentiary be allowed to continue in existence and menace the security of the immediate neighbourhoods and that of the nation at large?
Investigations and reports, with the inevitable calls for accountability and feasibility and enhancement and all the tiring rest are, shall we say, nice and of some meager utility. But the citizenry wants more, much more. The peoples of this beleaguered society already live in daily fear of the feloniously minded crawling in the midst and at all hours under every cover, some virus related. They are most unsettled to learn of these situations where, yet another prison break is the endangering development.
At this rate, the reasonable fear is that, at some time or the other and not too far into the future, there could be a huge collapse of the fences and forces and arrangements of the state that stand as safeguards. It is that they struggle futilely to hold a surging tide of inmates, which may prove to be too overwhelming, as occurred with those juveniles near midnight on Tuesday, May 5th. That such a restive time would include the extremely dangerous and the unmentionably forbidding. Given the terrifying extent of violent felonies in society, involved juveniles may have to be rehoused in more robust surroundings.
We recognize that they receive outside help, which by itself is expected. What really undermines the confidence of ordinary Guyanese, however, is the belief that escapees may be aided and abetted by those on the official inside, who will sell anything for a promised dollar, including responsibilities sworn to be upheld and integrity to duty that should never be compromised. Except that in this Guyana of ours, there are strong convictions that the opposite is what exists at many tiers. This is what sabotages the safety of citizens, already stretched unbearably in different directions by the political confusions and conflicts that gravely wound.

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There are just too many escapes

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