In light of the alarming increase in interpersonal violence in Guyana, President David Granger is of the view that the issue needs to be dealt with at an early stage, especially among children and youths.
President David Granger
Speaking on the weekly televised programme – “The Public Interest” – which is aired on Fridays, the Head of State posited that there needs to be a collective effort among all stakeholders in society to tackle interpersonal crimes.
“It is not a matter for the Police Force alone; various agencies have to come together – the Guyana Police Force, the State, civil society, and of course, families from various communities…something is happening in society and the Police Force cant solely solve the problem,” he stated.
The President pointed out that a decade ago serious crimes were compounded by execution murders and murders stemming from drug-trade; whereas, these days persons are killing people they know such as boyfriends/girlfriends and even relatives. This, he said, is troubling while noting that another form of interpersonal violence that Guyana finds itself grappling with is suicide.
According to the Guyanese Head of State, one way that the issue can be tackled is at the core institutions and so attention needs to be paid to what is happening within families and schools, where children are often exposed to acts of violence.
“We need to pay attention to…what is taking place in these institutions,” he stated, noting that they may have a negative impact on the state of minds of children.
In this regard, President Granger noted that he has asked the National Security Committee, which is comprised of heads of local law enforcement agencies, to work with the academia and other organisations to formulate a strategy aimed at addressing this societal scourge.
“We are onto the problem and I expect in the months to come, we will start working with civil society on this,” Granger stated.
However, he underscored the importance of social action and education on the issue of interpersonal violence. The President noted that while there may not be any specific policies in place to address this matter, the country needs to start teaching conflict resolutions and anger management skills in schools.
Granger noted that not only in schools, but religious organisations should also take up the mantle and play its role in moulding members of society to be better people: “All five faiths must deal with anger management, deal with helping young people to manage relations and to manage conflicts…we need to do it at a national level…especially among young people.”
In this vain, the Head of State posited that these institutions need to be given the tools to deliver such teachings and training.
According to President Granger, Guyana and its people have been through a very dark and violent path, where criminal activities, such as murders, were rampant. He noted that children used to witness those dastardly acts and now that they are grown, they are imitating what they saw and experienced.
“What we are seeing now…is the secondary impact of people, who witnessed the violence, having now themselves become violent…once you endure intense violence for so long, it is difficult to escape the psychological consequence,” he outlined.
However, the President posited that Government will not ignore the issue as it is aware that the consequences of such exposure can be damaging.
Over the past months, Guyana has experienced a hike in the spate of interpersonal crimes. The most recent case being Selina Ramotar, 29, of Lot 65 David Street, Kitty, Georgetown, who was stabbed at least 23 times last weekend. She is currently hospitalised while her perpetrator, her estranged child-father, Uttanpad Sewnarine, 39, has been charged and remanded to prison.
This occurred just one week after a Crane, West Coast Demerara, man went berserk and fatally chopped his wife and two-year-old son.
In another case, Gocool Danesh has been remanded for killing his wife Vanessa Sukram, 32, and their two-year-old son, Joel, while also severing one of the hands of his mother at their Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara home.
Meanwhile, about a month ago, Dexter Jules, 23, of B Field, Sophia, stabbed to death by his brother, 27, during an argument.
Another notable case of interpersonal violence that shocked the country was the murder of Roger Manikam, 64, whose gagged body was found along the Coldingen Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
The man’s two daughters, Nalinie, 18 and a 12-year-old were charged along with two others for his murder. The young girls claim that their father was a “pest” to their lives and even alleged that he molested them.
