I call on the President of Guyana to strongly speak out against all wrongdoing

Sep 08, 2020 Letters

Dear Editor,

As many of us reel from the brutal murder and torture of teenagers Joel Henry and Isaiah Henry, while others find cause to exult in or justify their slaying, one of the many directions to which my thoughts have turned is towards that of EMPOWERMENT and the feeling of being EMPOWERED. After President of the United States Donald Trump came into office, there was a rise in hate crimes and harassment directed at black and other non-white people. Some of these crimes and incidents were facilitated by his inflammatory speech, and his open disdain for those who did not look like him, those who did not share his beliefs, and those who did not have his immigration status. The situation in Guyana is a bit different. I, personally, have never heard of inflammatory speech on the part of our new President – Dr. Irfaan Ali. However, shortly after his induction into office, I have seen blatant discrimination being directed against some Guyanese, the blatant abuse of power by the Guyana Police Force, and the open flouting of the laws of Guyana. I believe that even though incendiary open remarks and actions have not been initiated by our President, the coming of the People’s Progressive Party into office seems to have emboldened some to flout the law, take the law into their own hands, and discriminate against those who do not look like them or share their political persuasions. It is these actions that eerily reflect a similarity between the United States and Guyana; in one instance, people are empowered to act callously and lawlessly, and in another instance people feel empowered to act in this manner. In retrospect, these are two sides of the same coin.
I call on the President of Guyana to strongly speak out against all wrongdoing (including the vicious murder and torture of two young Guyanese – Joel Henry and Isaiah Henry), strongly express his intolerance for racism, discrimination and injustice, and direct and support leadership and actions that ensure equality before the law, protection under the law, and a respect for the dignity of all Guyanese. It is only as an enabling environment is proactively created for the value of all, the livelihoods of all, and the lives of all that Guyana and Guyanese could ever hope to prosper and live securely.
I decry and condemn the cold-blooded murders of Joel and Isaiah. May the perpetrators of this brutal hate crime be found and swiftly brought to justice, and may the response to this heinous crime serve as a strong testament that wrongdoing and crime will not be tolerated or condoned in Guyana,

Yours truly,
Loria-Mae Heywood

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