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Crime rates and the death penalty

Mar 02, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn, announced that there is a reduction of crime including robbery, breaking and entering by 6.9 percent. He however stated that there is an increase in murders by 13%, but the press prefers to down play the senseless killings. The vast increase in murder has drawn comments from organizations in Guyana and the diaspora are advocating the death penalty for persons found guilty of the capital offence. It seems as if the government is not too keen on imposing the death penalty. In fact, it might be unconstitutional to do so. I wish to point out that in 2015; Parliament adopted the Anti-Terrorist Related Activities Act 2015, which adopted the mandatory death penalty. However there was no execution since August 1997, more than 23 years ago. Globally, 106 countries have completely abolished judicial execution.
Like Britain, the London based Privy Council is not in favour of the death penalty and as such dependent states in the region such as Bermuda, Turks and Caicos, Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, and Anguilla are against hanging. The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), in June 2018 ruled that the mandatory death sentence in Barbados is unconstitutional. This means hanging will not be allowed in Guyana, Belize and Dominica, the three other jurisdictions which accepted the CCJ as the final court. A decade ago Jamaica refused to join the CCJ because the politicians had dubbed the Port of Spain based court as the “hanging court.” This should no longer be contention. Trinidad and Tobago government is still flip flopping and the electorates in Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and St. Lucia still cannot make up their minds.
Back to crime in Guyana, although there is a little reduction, some areas are hard hit by break and enter and robberies and even rape. The Courts should impose more severe penalties on those found guilty, which might deter the lawbreakers.
Yours truly,
Oscar Ramjeet

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