Action is required to stem the tide of homicides

Dear Editor,

It is disgusting to read the daily newspapers where numerous murders are reported for which several suspects have been apprehended, charged, tried and convicted. As I read these papers I get a feeling that our political and judicial leaders of this failing society do not care much about the loss of life, as in many cases persons charged with blatant murder or conspiracy to murder receive a sentence of a given number of years rather than face death row and eventually the gallows.

By the way, when last was a convicted murderer hanged? If my memory serves me correctly it was Dr Jagan who as President instituted the failed Burnham practice of passing up the signing of death warrants. Here we have today animals roaming our streets disguised as genuine, loving, caring persons; they know that they will be able to plead to the lesser count of manslaughter, even although a brutal murder was committed.

Every day men have been murdering women for no apparent reason except jealousy. Others have been committing robbery and in its course have committed murder, yet even here a plea of the lesser count is sometimes accepted so that these killers are given an opportunity to return to society at the expense of the deceased and their relatives.

In the end these people must be brought to swift justice which could only mean that the President must sign warrants for executions to take place following the passing of a death sentence for murder; after all the deceased also had a right to life. I hope President Jagdeo takes note of what is happening in society where guns are used to commit most of the crimes.

We require action to stem the tide of homicides in Guyana. Let the society have examples of the law at work.

Yours faithfully,
A Malek Abubekr