Dear Editor,
I refer to your article captioned ‘Domestic violence has to be treated intensively’ appearing on page 12 of the SN, dated April 2.
This seminar, held by the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers holds the potential to be a watershed moment in our country’s history in our attempt to combat the scourge of domestic violence, because of the wide cross-section of organisations represented.
Your paper reported, “former Magistrate Omeyana Hamilton… conceded that many times lawyers themselves do not know the Domestic Violence Act.” This is a flagrant misrepresentation of my contribution at this forum. My statement did not pertain to lawyers but was in reference to the gamut of institutions, agencies, personnel and even litigants who seek the court’s intervention under the Act. This submission was made in relation to the point advanced by a member of the audience, calling for revision and amendment of the Act. It was and remains my humble submission that the Act does not require amendment, as in its current form it provides comprehensive redress and remedies.
In this instance accuracy was sacrificed in an attempt to summarize several points raised at this forum. Again there is a call for the media to maintain basic journalistic principles such as accuracy and be careful not to misrepresent issues and opinions that they are reporting.
Yours faithfully,
Omeyana Hamilton
Attorney-at-Law
Editor’s note
A perusal of Ms Alleyne’s notes indicates they do reflect what Ms Hamilton was reported in SN as saying during the Domestic Violence seminar. Ms Hamilton may very well have made reference to a “gamut of institutions,” but the reporter singled out her comment on lawyers as she is a lawyer herself.