Dear Editor,
I am devastated at the death of sixteen year old Neesa Gopaul; her life was senselessly cut short, allegedly over material things.
The front pages of all four newspapers in Guyana carried the story of the ‘headless body in a suitcase’ which turned out to be that of a sixteen-year-old QC student, and I struggled to read through the article as tears clouded my vision. I couldn’t believe what I was reading; worst of all I couldn’t believe the story of drugs, sex and abuse that this girl endured. I couldn’t and still can’t understand how we as a people let this happen. Reading all the reports, her life should not have ended the way it did. One newspaper went as far as to say that the system failed Neesa Gopaul, but I say ‘no’; her parents failed her, her family failed her, her friends, her teachers, her neighbours, her entire community, the police force and the entire society that we live in today failed her. Each one of us played a role of inaction, a role of minding our own business, which helped take her life because no one was willing to break the silence. What upsets me when reading the news after a tragic incident like this is that there are always reports of persons saying that they knew something was going on (they should have done something); or if they had had the money they would have taken her in (then they should have found someone who would or called the authorities); or even worse, reports had been made at the station (they should have investigated, followed it up, asked around and done something).
What will it take for us to stop minding our own business and not only speak out against the violence, but take action against the wrongs of our society? What harm will it do us to lend a voice to the voiceless, and lend an ear to the cries of our young people, because if you just take the time to listen you’ll hear them. My heart is breaking for Neesa and her loved ones; my condolences; this should be a wake up call. How many more of our children, our moms, fathers, sisters and friends have to die before something is done? How many more Neesa Gopauls and Sheema Mangars would it take before we realize that something needs to be done? I think I speak for all youths when I ask adults if this is the land they are leaving for us; if this is the type of society that we must inherit – one which sits quietly by while our women and kids are abused and killed every day and sees no wrong. Have murders become so normal in Guyana that we no longer react to them? Have adults forgotten what it’s like to dream and not be confronted with scenes of killing and murder on a daily basis? If they have, as a young Guyanese woman I’m truly afraid of one day bringing a child into a society like ours.
Yours faithfully,
Candace Charles
Miss Guyana World 2007
