Following last month’s fatal stabbing of two members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, the Guyana Trans United (GTU) has issued a call for justice for the dead, while decrying media coverage of the tragedy.
Jason John, also known as Jada, and Carlyle Sinclair, called Tyra, were murdered last month by Nabaclis resident Samuel Bristol, who later killed himself.
In a statement issued last week, GTU and victims’ families urged the police to “conduct a thorough and impartial investigation
and to bring all the persons involved in these murders to justice.” These persons, the body said, included the MMC guards who allegedly rescued Bristol from a group of enraged sex workers.
Following the attacks, members of the LGBT community had staged protests outside of the MMC office, calling for court action to be taken against the company’s employees. However, none of these men has been charged.
The GTU also expressed disappointment at media reports following the murders. “We were very hurt, disappointed, and angered by the disrespectful and overly sensationalist coverage of this tragedy by the media,” GTU said. It continued, “The lack of respect, empathy, and sympathy is saddening and scary… this type of media coverage contributes to the persecution and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans Guyanese, and we call on the media to be more sensitive in their reporting on LGBT matters.”
The body further emphasised that the LGBT community comprises of peaceful and hardworking members of society, who demand the same rights as other members of our country.
The bodies of Samuel and Sinclair were found with stab wounds to the chest on Leopold Street and Lombard Street, Georgetown in July. Hours later, Bristol died after he doused himself with a flammable liquid and set himself alight shortly after stabbing the duo.
According to reports, Bristol was the jilted ex-partner of one of John and Sinclair’s colleagues and was angry because the relationship had been broken off.
