Dear Editor,
In the late ’70s as Coroner in the twin island state of St Kitts-Nevis an inquest was held by me into the shooting death of a civilian by two members of the police force.
In my more than 50 years of practice here in Guyana I do not recall a single instance of an inquest being held into the deaths of the untold number of civilians shot and killed by our local police.
When I view TV from America I hear of the IAD, an Internal Affairs Division – an investigative arm of the police force tasked with investigating shootings and other improprieties committed by the police. Here in Guyana we have no such division. What we do have are coroners. Section 2 of Cap 4:03 states that “Coroner” means the magistrate of the magisterial district in which an unnatural death occurs, or, if that magistrate cannot conveniently or speedily be found or is unable to act, the nearest justice of the peace who is able to act. Section 3 of the same Act states that every justice of the peace shall be ex officio a coroner.
Early last week one Randy Morris was shot and killed by the police. Eyewitness accounts in the newspapers allege that Morris was kneeling and begging the police not to shot him when he was shot at least seven times.
Editor, all our Commissioner of Police (ag) had to say was “that he had several criminal matters pending in the court.” May I remind the Commissioner that Morris was an innocent person until proven guilty.
Editor, I am anxiously awaiting the holding of an inquest into this man’s death. It seems unless this is done the police will continue to shoot people with impunity.
Yours faithfully,
Randolph Joseph Eleazar
