Burning of our schools is a despicable act

Dear Editor,
I have always been of the opinion that the fires that burned our schools were acts of arson, and now the results of expert investigation have confirmed this opinion.
These are lowdown and despicable acts that words cannot describe. That a person or persons would seek to burn down a school, where over 500 of our children go to receive an education to become worthy citizens of tomorrow, is most reprehensible. Arsonists and other evil people are at work. They are undermining the educational and developmental programmes of our country. These demonic acts must be stopped! As someone rightly said, these evil people are purposefully out to deny our children an education, and in return build a nation of illiterates and criminals.
But I must sound a resounding “No!” to their plans, and tell them that they are not going to succeed! Now that we are made aware of the motive and evil intentions of the arsonists, the authorities need to first find the arsonist/s and have then feel the brunt of the law. We must send a clear message that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated in our society.
We can ill afford to have such persons in our midst, and in this regard, we have to separate them from normal, right-thinking society. There must be stiffer penalties for such actions, and in my book, there is a recommendation for longer years in prison, if not a life sentence. To burn down structures meant for the education and development of the nation’s future cannot – I repeat: cannot – be treated lightly.
Like I said in my opening statement, these burnings follow a definitive pattern when these destabilising elements are at work. I call to our attention those seemingly mysterious fires that occur during election periods. These acts of arson surface during election time, when dissatisfaction at the election results run riot in some quarters. I say present-day school fires are no different, they bear the signature statements of those times and the people who are of that backward mentality.
It was Mrs Jagan who, in the height of Opposition protests, said: “You have a right to protest, once you do so peacefully and in accordance with the law.” But some sections of the population, who are of a decadent mentality, cannot countenance a peaceful and legitimate protest. Theirs is a blind fury as they go about those “ignorant” destructive acts, just burn and destroy.
I must hasten to a close by saying the authorities have to stop this madness: establish CCTV cameras at all schools and public buildings in our country. Cameras ought to be placed at strategic locations, and be devices that are constantly monitored, so that we can catch these subversives in their tracks and put an end to those fires immediately.

Respectfully,
Neil Adams