Dear Editor,
The shooting death of young bandit Sydel Bourne marks our country’s continuing struggle as we grapple with this cancerous tumour called crime. At the present moment, law enforcement seems to be on top of the crime situation; however, ever so often, the criminals get a leeway, which drives fear and foreboding in society.
We must bring crime under control, and all of us have to be on our guard as we move forward in crime fighting.
I have viewed the many comments posted on Facebook. Many were very callous and gruesome. You must understand why these comments are so cold, because too many persons out there have had friends and family members who have either been robbed, maimed, or even killed by these same bandits.
Yours truly has had a life-threatening experience with a group of them some years ago.
Nevertheless, I would be a bit more modest in my response, in that I do not rejoice, neither am I sad, at his passing. However, I am concerned, very much concerned, at the loss of a young life, which could have otherwise been an ambitious and productive one.
It is certainly a waste of human resources when you witness a Sydel Bourne dead. At age 16, he should have been meaningfully engaged in online classes at home as he prepared for a career, or he could have even engaged in a sporting venture befitting a productive life. But here he is going, down the path of ruin and eventual death.
Several factors are on display here when you study this unfortunate episode; the first is bad parenting. When you study the background history of most of these hotspot inner city youths, the sad reality is that most of them had no real guidance at home. Those who should have led them along the straight and narrow were actually facilitators and enablers in this vicious crime ring. I am pretty sure this was not his first incident along this road of crime, but sadly, this time it was his pitiful last.
My final point is directed at the political directors in Guyana today; and my point is this: stop the foolishness of politicising crime or using it as campaign rhetoric; it is not doing our nation’s youth any good. Stop lending a sympathetic ear to criminals and criminal activity. Statements like “they are killing Black Youth” and other such nonsensical statements do not help; rather, they embolden the young who might be criminally inclined. To glorify crime is a mortal sin, and I say this lawlessness must stop now!
How could these people sleep at night when you witness the death of another of our nation’s youth while in pursuit of a crime? Is this a commendable act? It seems so when you examine their logic for tacitly supporting crime. Guyana can ill afford the burden of criminals roaming free, a traumatised population, and politicians who facilitate such activities. This is subversive behaviour to the maximum, and it must be rooted out of modern society.
Guyana must move forward as an orderly, law-abiding, free state.
Respectfully,
Neil Adams
