We must get serious about crime by sending strong messages

Jun 19, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Justice was finally served on Wednesday in the High Court in Demerara, when Abishai Caesar from Tuschen was convicted of murdering Jennifer Persaud and her two sons from Anna Catherina, when he was sentenced to death by Justice Sandhil Kissoon. Murderers have been on a rampage in Guyana, taking innocent lives, having no regard or respect for the value of a human life and they have continued recklessly, carelessly and mercilessly. The crime situation is certainly out of hand and the police is at their wits end to combat this battle. There has been numerous calls from various sources for the implementation of the death penalty in order to curb the crime situation. After a long time, finally, answering the call, one such positive initiative emerged from the brave Justice Kissoon to use the tool that has been always readily available, but was reluctantly overlooked.
The honorable judge addressed the court before reading the riot act, “This crime committed by Abishai Caesar is a despicable unparalleled act of cold- blooded ruthless savagery where an entire family was meticulously and methodically brutally executed by Caesar while these three persons were in the security of their home.” The judge certainly did not mince words and his description is befitting of the rest of murderers still in the streets or safely behind bars, having escaped similar punishment, unfortunately. The learned judge then told Caesar, saying, “You have treated life and death as meaningless. It is only right, it is only proper, and it is only just, in view of your horrific crimes having regards to the exceptional and specific circumstances that, you be sentenced to death.” Again, his choice of words justifies his action. The father and grandfather of the victims said, “I’m happy with the verdict; justice has been served. My daughter and grandsons can finally rest in peace.”
The last execution took place in August 1997 when Michael Archer and Peter Adams were hanged for murder. There has been an outcry for parliament to institutionalise the death penalty as mandatory because of the callous crime situation in Guyana. Tough times call for tough measures and the innocent citizens of the state need protection. The crime prevention unit is under armed to deal with this situation and it needs to be strengthened by employing more tactical, technical and modern measures. It needs the support of all the law enforcement agencies, the courts, the government, the politicians, parliament, people, private and public entities, the labour unions and all social organisations.
Justice delayed is justice denied. Currently, there are dozens of convicts sitting on the death row, pending hypocritical bureaucracy and all the painstaking red tapes. Currently, there is a Court of appeal hearing challenging the death penalty imposed, by four murderers, three of them being members of the GDF. For the past week, this disdainful and despicable behaviour from ruthless and demonical individuals continued. On the roads, criminal negligence continues with traffic fatalities. Last Saturday, a salesman was arrested along with two accomplices for staging a robbery around Stabroek Market.
Crime is certainly one of the key areas which the government needs to pay special attention to in order to safeguard the people of this nation. Visitors need to feel safe and protected. People need to walk the streets freely. Citizens need to sleep soundly. Society must be guaranteed security from all criminal elements and this disease needs to be eradicated as quickly as possible. Guyana needs to rid itself of this cancerous disease. Judge Kissoon must be applauded for his decision and to send a message that the crime situation is intolerable, and the court will not hesitate in using the death penalty when applicable. Hopefully, the rest of the bench will sit up and take notice and follow suit.

Respectfully,
Jai Lall

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