President David Granger has announced that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government intends to annually grant presidential pardons to prisoners who were sentenced for minor misdemeanors (non-violent crimes.)
During a special interview at the Ministry of the Presidency with a section of the media, GINA said that President Granger disclosed that tomorrow, Independence Day, the new administration will begin pardoning 60 convicts between the ages of 18 to 25.
“I believe that young people should be in school, not in jail, and I have asked that emphasis be placed on young persons, and for petty non-violent offences, and sentences of short duration,” the President said.
“Sometimes a man (is) in jail for stealing a cell phone, go your way and sin no more…,” he said, adding that the offences are ‘really petty’, and the offenders ‘pretty young.’
GINA said that President Granger was also asked about Former President Donald Ramotar’s pardon of Ravindra Deo, who was convicted for the murder of a child, Vishnu Bhim, which was committed 21 years ago at La Bonne Intention (LBI). His response was, “There is nothing in the constitution that prevents him, but there should be something in his conscience which should have told him that this is not the way to go,” the President said.
