Dear Editor,
The gruesome killing of our two Guyanese youths, Isaiah Henry and his 19-year-old cousin Joel Henry, in West Berbice, has caused me to think that “All lives matter,” and “all deaths matter” too. Guyana is a sad place, a “shole” country, where people will brutally kill you for a cellphone or Gy$300 (US$1.50).
Are we, as a society, not ashamed of things like these? This is a reflection of our poverty, and is a good reason why we must vigorously support the Government as it seeks to gain more oil revenues for the country from renegotiation with Exxon, to improve our overall well-being, so we don’t kill for a cellphone.
The class act in this sad situation is the Christian response of the Henry family. The father of Isaiah (Gladson Henry) reportedly said: “This is not about race or religion or political things…I don’t want the people to say this is racial, it is not about race…I am a Christian, and I don’t want violence to happen in this community…”
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said this is clearly not a political crime.
The most shameless act is PNC top leaders weaponising the pain and grief of these poor families to promote their “resistance” movement against a new, legally elected Government. What they could not do at the ballot box they want to do through violent street action. Gleeful at the protests and the pressure it puts on the Police/military resources, the PNC leadership has been silent, and has not called on its supporters to stop the terrorism against innocent people.
One blog on Facebook by Patrick Findlay said, “You cannot demand justice for an atrocity whilst at the same time perpetuating an atrocity on others.” The wily dictator Burnham used to say, “He who owns the dogs can call off the dogs.”
The other shameful thing in the current racial attacks of stopping, beating, burning, robbing, and stripping of Indians trying to pass the blockages on the roads is the continued silence of the churches. There is breaking news of 17-year-old Haresh Singh killed today as protests escalate.
We have not heard from the Guyana Evangelical Fellowship, the Georgetown Ministers Fellowship, the Zadok Ministries, East Berbice Corentyne Ministers, the Guyana Council of Churches, Assembly of God, Full Gospel Fellowship, or Lifespring Ministries, etc. Why is the Church silent at such a time as this, when one party is using two families’ tragedies to stoke racial strife? Loyalty to a party should not cause us to lose our conscience.
This gruesome killing of the Henrys and the call for swift justice also bring to the fore other similar murders in Guyana. Many were murdered, and they were instantly forgotten by the public. There were no protests, nobody tried to burn and block traffic, and no politicians came, probably because there was no political mileage to gain.
People simply buried their dead, suffered in silence, and hoped the Police find the killers. Many cases went unsolved, and there was no justice.
I say: the same way “All lives matter”, “All deaths matter” too. We know all cases would not be solved, but victims like to know that the Police did their best.
I remember the May 2001 case of a father, Bemchand Barran, and his 10-yr-old son, Mervyn Barran from Enterprise, who were executed in the backdam where they went to catch shrimp. This case was never solved. Similarly, September 11 would be the 10th anniversary of 21-year-old Sheema Mangar’s murder. Like many others, that have ended up in the cold case cabinet.
Sheema, from Mon Repos, a Bank employee whose dream was to become a certified accountant, was killed for her cellphone in broad daylight at a city car park area in the presence of many at rush hour. Sheema Mangar’s family has refused to give up their quest for justice.
Then there is the recent case, in July 2020, of 21-year-old Navindra Samaroo, a Marketing Agent who was killed by motor bike bandits as his car slowed down at a pothole at Middle Road, La Penitence. They shot him and grabbed his bag. All they got was his lunch in the bag. Samaroo’s wife was pregnant, and he did not live to see the birth of his first child. To his mother, Valini Shivcharran, he was a “precious jewel”; to his boss Etwaroo, he was a “willing and hard-working” employee. Dwayne Castello, known as ‘Top Cat,’ was charged for his murder.
Other youngsters have lost their lives with no justice in sight: Alicea Foster; Trevor Rose; Ricky Jainarine, who was just 10 years old. The body of Monica Reece was dumped from a pickup back in April 1993.
Then there were the September 2012 Anna Catherina home invasion murders, in which Abishai Caesar allegedly slit the throats of 41-year-old liquor store owner Jennifer Persaud and her two children: 6-year-old Afridi Bacchus, and 18-month-old Jadon Ernest. Caesar reportedly said Persaud’s elder son woke up during the robbery and saw his face, and he decided to slit his throat. The 6-year-old screamed when his throat was slit and the baby woke up. When the alleged killer noticed that the baby was awake, he killed the 18-month-old. Caesar had initially evaded justice until April 2016, when investigators were able to arrest him after his reputed wife went and told them that he murdered Persaud and her sons during the home invasion. The box stolen contained only $3,000 (US$15).
In August 2020, Ryan Mohamed, 27, a taxi driver of Wash Clothes, Mahaicony, was attacked and stabbed in the neck while standing at a milkshake stand. There was a dispute over a $300 overcharge fare. Marlon Estriado is wanted in connection with that murder.
The brutal deaths of loved ones diminish us all, and broken hearts are left behind to suffer in silence. We must care equally about all those innocent victims, and support all victims’ families. “All lives matter,” and “All deaths matter” too.
Sincerely,
Dr Jerry Jailall
