Dear Editor,
It was a devastating tragedy that struck our country on Saturday morning when a body of armed criminals invaded five homes in Lusignan, ECD and mindlessly murdered 11 people, including five children. Two others who were wounded are receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. Just days before, at Buxton, a Guyana Defence Force soldier was killed and two others wounded when a patrol was fired upon by criminals, probably from the same gang. Our whole society of law-abiding citizens is traumatized and shocked by this criminal savagery wreaked upon these victims and we grieve for them and their survivors.
President Bharrat Jagdeo and his ministers visited the community to offer comfort and support at this trying time and to give assurances that all will be done by the security forces to bring these wanton criminals to justice in the shortest possible time.
Considerable human, financial and other resources have been provided to the Police Force and Army to increase their logistical, intelligence-gathering, and operational capabilities to apprehend and confront the criminals in our society, also with the assistance of the UK, US, Canadian, other governments and the European Commission, and their agencies and these efforts are ongoing, with further help being offered.
The entire nation, regional and international authorities are looking forward to swift and effective action by our police and army to apprehend these criminals.
We must not allow wrong interpretations and misinformation deliberately spread, to mislead us into coming to wrong conclusions and taking incorrect and inappropriate actions.
Yours faithfully, John Da Silva
