By Ralph Seeram
Desperate times call for desperate measures; drastic crimes call for drastic action; the present system is not working. Criminals have no fear of the law or punishment; the system has to change now. The purpose of imprisonment and the death penalty is to set an example and discourage potential criminals. This is not working in Guyana. The system has to change, and I have the solution.
All those human rights people will need to keep quiet when my plan is implemented. They will have to remain quiet just as they kept quiet when the kidnapped businessman was executed, just as how they remain quiet when businessmen are murdered or robbed; wives are hacked to death and so forth. All these victims have human rights too. Their rights have been violated, but you do not hear a word of outrage, even the public is getting sensitized to these outrageous crimes. The system needs a shock treatment, so here goes.
All those who commit murder with a gun will die by the gun. We are going to have Execution Day on the third Saturday of the month. It’s going to be a public event; you advertise it as any sporting event to be held at Eve Leary or at the Providence Stadium. Of course it’s going to be free to the public.
No blindfold, let the killers see and experience what their victims felt, death staring them in the face, six policemen or soldiers with rifles, three loaded with live bullets, three blanks, so no one knows who fired the fatal shots. If you are sentenced to death, it doesn’t matter how you die, you don’t have any rights, death is death. It’s going to be real public event, vendors, music and all.
This also goes for those who like cutlass as a weapon of choice. You shed blood, your blood will be shed also, in public, just as how you publicly chopped your victim. Then we have those who did not use weapons to commit murder. We are going to have a hanging day in public. Stabroek Market might be a good venue. If the crowds start to get too large then you shift the event to the National Stadium. Here again no blindfold, you put them on public display, hang them high in public.
Apparently there is no fear of God, so you have to put the fear of man in man or woman. Hanging used to be in the public so there is nothing new here. Not only will the criminals see death staring at them, but potential criminals will also see what’s in store for them.
We also have to introduce a Bounty system, kind of a Clint Eastwood type. Only we want them ALIVE, so you put up large rewards for bounty hunters to bring in murderers at large. Now these have to be registered Bounty Hunters. Believe me, they will find the criminals way faster than the police, we also have to introduce a TIP hot line where informants are rewarded for the capture or info on who commit certain crimes.
Let’s not forget the “white collar crimes” especially those committed by politicians and police. Politicians love publicity, photo op and press conferences. So “white collar criminals” as well as burglars and those motorcycle daylight robbers, who think other people money (OPM) is there for the taking, will be dealt with in this way.
First we have a Parade Day for them where they are publicly displayed with signs around their neck saying, “I am a thief”. For the politicians who are in jail, you have a monthly press conference for them, because they love publicity. Reporters can ask them questions like how is life away from Pradoville? Have they made any new boyfriends in prison, especially the new criminals that like little girls and boys? Those who like to break and enter will be given special tasks to break stones in a quarry to help build roads.
For those violent criminals we bring back the “Cat O’ Nine Tails”. Yes if you want a deterrent the “cat” is the thing. I had a close friend who was a Prison Officer; he told that the toughest criminals or “bad man” breaks when they get the whip. That, he said, is their greatest fear.
He said that after the whipping they become very cooperative, no more a trouble maker. We are also going to make whipping a public event.
These hanging, whipping and execution events will draw crowds larger than entertainers. We also will have to get the Television cameras so those who cannot attend can witness events from the comfort of their homes.
For my plan to succeed we have to address two areas, the police and the judiciary. First you get rid of Rohee, bring back Gajraj from India as Home Affairs Minister. There is too much corruption in the police force. The Sergeant can’t tell the constable anything because he is also on the ‘take’. The Inspector can’t discipline the Sergeant because the Sergeant knows his boss is collecting.
The same applies for the Superintendent and higher up. There are honest cops but they are outnumbered by corrupt ones. So we bring in a number of expatriate officers on loan from Police Departments in the US, Canada and the UK. Put them in charge of the force with powers to fire on the spot, anyone taking bribes, or guilty of police brutality.
We raise the police salary to a minimum of G$100,000 per month, set higher standards for recruits, you will attract better qualified applicants. There will be a zero tolerance for bribe takers and givers. A better educated policeman will be an asset to solving crimes.
We also have to change the way we prosecute. Now tell me why we have a Police Corporal prosecuting a murder case or any case against a trained Lawyer? You need legally trained lawyers to prosecute in the Magistrates’ courts; too many criminals are freed because of the system.
Let’s not forget the Magistrates or Judges; we have to get them inline also. Weed out the corrupt ones. I love this new judge that is handing out 60-year jail sentences. He reminds me of the “angry God” the late Judge Akbar Khan.
Criminals, especially white collar criminals and even some lawyers were afraid to appear in his court. He drove the fear of man into criminals. I remember he sentenced a boyhood friend of mine to seven years’ imprisonment for stealing a few thousand dollars as a public servant.
Now my readers what you think of my plan, would it reduce crime?
