Dear Editor,
I returned to the country today and wish to express my horror and embarrassment that in Trinidad, the Newsday newspaper dated February 19, 2008 carried the headlines showing the bodies of the twelve persons gunned down in the mining town of Bartica.
The photographs showed bodies dumped like fish in a boat, and the Trinidadians drew it to my attention. Like the Trinidadians, I was appalled at this sight, apart from being embarrassed.
Could someone explain why in the 21st century, we should transport bodies in this unacceptable manner? We were taught to have some respect for the dead and government agencies and the police should really explain why bodies were not brought down in either body bags or at least boxes or coffins.
This has made the horror even worse, and has certainly embarrassed every Guyanese I came into contact with.
I also learnt that Trinidad is to supply us with arms and a helicopter. As a boy, and I am talking about thirty years ago, I remember the excitement on a visit to New Amsterdam when a helicopter landed in the compound of the hospital. I also remember hearing helicopters around Guyana.
Three odd decades on with all this information of assistance to the police and the army, are we to understand that Guyana is without a fleet of helicopters?
It is of interest to note that in the Trinidadian papers this offer of assistance to Guyana is not popular among the Trinidadians since they have their own security problems.
Yours faithfully,
Nigel Bacchus
