Dear Editor,
Is this really what it has come down to? That was the question that coursed through my mind as I read the poignantly blunt and straightforward letter by Ronald Waddell’s brother captioned “The police have not reported to my family the outcome of the investigation into my brother’s death” (07.01.31) the day after the anniversary of his brother’s execution. Mr Waddell-Smith inferred that unless you have a US or Canadian visa or have “relatives who can afford to pursue the matter in the Supreme Court” trying to get justice for a loved one murdered for speaking out against inequality and other social and political wrongs is practically an exercise in futility. And he seems to be right because it is hard to believe that after one year and discovering nine shells at the crime scene, the police do not even have a theory about the crime that they can share with at least the family even if they do not wish to share it with the public. At least the family deserves to know. So is this really what it has come down to, that justice is only for those who can afford to pay for it?
With the resounding silence that followed this case after the police had picked up possible perpetrators, arrested them and had to release them, the case has seemed to hit a dead-end. And this is why the Justice for Jermaine Committee now refers to the investigation as essentially a “cover-up”. Now where did I see that tactic (cover-up) used recently in Guyana? Ah yes, in the government ads placement contretemps. Creeping Burnhamism?
Although I am aware that cover-up will always be, in various degrees, a reality of government practices all over the world, it would be a crying shame, I think, if in a young nation like Guyana that has itself come through its own unpleasant experience of this kind under the aforementioned regime, this would be the direction that the current government would be leaning toward again. This time the consequences could be more devastating for the country.
So, let us hope that this is not indeed what it has come down to and that the police can once again get the investigation into Mr Waddell’s assassination back on track or at least on the right one and with a little more fervour than we have been seeing so far. Otherwise my next question will have to be, are the Guyanese people everywhere, the vast majority anyway, really going to just sit back and allow such a travesty to occur?
Yours faithfully,
Stafford Wills
