Dear Editor,
It is becoming clearer that the citizens of this country are doomed to live in fear and at the mercy of crime and criminals as not one iota of evidence points to crime being aggressively tackled or radically curtailed. One would have thought that with the pervasiveness of crime this new Ramotar administration would have hastily re-engaged the British government and USA Drug Enforcement Agency to assist, as offered to the Jagdeo administration and refused. This is not to be, and criminals are sporting unimpeded.
A government that would not hold an inquiry into the death of one of its ministers and his family members is clearly telling other citizens they do not care. What this tells us is that this country is doomed as development is stymied and more citizens migrate. Those needed for development will never return – not the Sawh family, their friends and acquaintances for sure.
Mr Donald Ramotar was in support of the ethnic balance of the armed forced and one hopes he pursues that.
Criminals ought to be tracked down and penalties swift and severe given. Former President Desmond Hoyte’s implementation of the death penalty had represented a significant deterrent to crime, and similar stringent methods and application will have an impact. A fear stalks this land, especially among the business community and the well off, although none seems insulated from it and unscathed.
My experience with criminals would scare away any citizen and dissuade any aspiring potential remigrant. I am a victim of four armed robberies, a recent break and enter and numerous near misses, while the police have miserably failed me.
One of the identified gun-toting bandits escaped from the police eluding bullets after my last robbery. Months later he was apprehended in Suriname and held at Whim Police Station. Even though I informed the Commander in New Amsterdam (N/A) and Reliance Station the man was not charged. Recently he was again deported from Suriname and was at the N/A Police Station. I again did the same thing and was asked to give a statement – 5 pages in 5 hours – but yes, you are right readers. The man was gone again, no charges. He was spotted in my village several times and I foolishly informed the police hoping for a miracle of apprehension; no way.
Also the suspect in my last break in was wanted by the police after having ‘jumped bail’ for not attending court on a number of matters. He was wounded in an incident unrelated to my matter, and hospitalized. I informed the police – lo and behold the man went free. No fingerprints were taken at my premises. The police have in their possession a cutlass which was forgotten.
How are we going to prevent crime when criminals are allowed to roam free? Even when some are charged if they are placed on bail they are given time to commit more crimes to pay the lawyer’s fees, etc. There should be no bail for armed robbery and longer sentences as in USA.
Generally police stations are described by the man in the street as ‘bribery’ stations as not every matter goes to the courts. There must be a revolution in relation to attacking crime or heaven help us.
Yours faithfully,
M Sookraj
