Blame the system that allows criminals to roam free

Dear Editor,
There is the saying “who feels it knows it”. I want to place on record that I abhor extra judicial killings, police brutality, murders and all forms of banditry.

On Saturday 1st March 2003, two sets of Guyanese woke up, one set were law enforcement officers who place their lives on the line every day, the other set were “intellectuals” who knew their rights and were out to have some fun. These two sets of Guyanese paths crossed on Sheriff street. End result of this Saturday morning meeting, some young Guyanese were injured, and to date, one dead.
I am of the firm opinion that these working officers did not set out to that morning to kill anyone. The police went out on patrol looking for suspicious persons, who are bent on robbing, killing and raping. It happened, the young UG student is dead, as a result, some students and facility members have now taken their heads out of the sand to disrupt classes and protest. In the past, when citizens and law enforcement officers were killed I did not hear a twitter. When Sergeant Brummel and the conductor were killed there was no protest. No television call -in programme.

Stop blaming the police! Blame the society and the system that allow the criminals to roam free, blame the human right activists who want shackling and the hangings to stop. Blame society for the lack of jobs for our unemployed youth. Blame the system that accepts mediocrity for excellence; blame the system that has an impotent Police Service Commission, blame the whole country for not standing up to these criminals that turned the police into criminals. Blame the young black Guyanese that wants that Nike sneakers and will not want to work for the money to buy it, it is no way I will blame the police for excessive force, I am fed up of them dying! The criminals have gotten the police to the stage where it is shoot first and ask questions next day in the mortuary.
Some time a writer had said “it is better to be judged by 12 than to be carried by six accompanied by a 21 gun salute and the Last Post! I hereby extend my condolences to the family of the deceased, it is unfortunate but don’t go clamouring for heads. For if the security forces stand back it will be open season on law-abiding citizens.
The truth is not always good to be revealed, just cast your mind back when a teacher was caught with a machine gun in his haversack. What was he teaching? Probably urban-warfare or defence!
Do not judge or cast aspersions, none of us was there to make an impartial statement.
Yours faithfully,
(Name & address provided)

Wednesday March 5, 2003