…in crime and punishment
Ever since man crept out of the caves and tried to stop bopping people over the head with clubs to get them to do things he wanted them to do, he did so by imposing rules. He tried to convince the “others” that the rules “were for their own good”. But a whole lotta folks just didn’t go along with the rules – some because they seemed to be just born with a contrary streak. Others because circumstances were just messed up.
And even though we’re ten thousand years away from that time, man still has to have clubs to bop people over the head when they break the rules. One clever fella said we all have a tinge of that contrary streak – and said if we were angels, we wouldn’t even need the rules much less clubs.
In fact, the body into which all the rules about how we should carry on – at the highest level – are condensed into something called “the state” which insists that only IT can do the bopping. Over the half millennium or so that the state has been in existence, it has invented all kinds of new “clubs” – whips, chains, guillotine, hangman’s noose, jails. Right now the most sophisticated clubs are called “electric chairs”, but the United Nations is insisting that even this has to go.
It’s evidently not saying that ALL punishment must go – just the one that snuffs out the life of the transgressor. So, at least, they aren’t claiming man has evolved into angels! But this has raised a question that we in Guyana must answer – since we’re being pressured no end not only by the UN but some of the supposedly “evolved” states. These states can carpet bomb countries from five miles up in the sky and kill hundreds of thousands of lives or use drones directed from 12,000 miles away and kill folks selected in their beds – that’s OK. But they insist our state is UNCIVILISED for killing a few convicted bad eggs who’ve taken the lives of someone else.
The argument they use is killing killers doesn’t DETER more killings. But deterrence isn’t the only value undergirding our rule for living together, is it? If the whole point of creating states is to stop this private bopping of guys who get on your wrong side, isn’t there some JUST EQUIVALENCE in taking the transgressors’ lives?
Thing is, those who want to do away with states killing people who break the law should also take a stand against states killing folks en mass– in other states.
They actually probably never broke any rules, did they?
…in representation
Prezzie addressed the City Council. Though not sanctioned by statute or the Constitution, he was still received in style by the entire panoply of power of the Municipality. Never happened to any PPP President during the past 23 years! But what the heck? Comity between the two layers of government gotta be good.
Prezzie emphasised that Councillors were each elected by 2800 good burghers of our fair city – and they, the Councillors, are answerable to them. Not to the party that they represented at the elections! To wit –-APNU! Well, there were a couple of AFC’ers but as we know they’re neither here nor there. But this is an interesting point Prezzie has raised – about who the Councillors answer to.
Head of the Finance Committee and former General Secretary of the PNC, Oscar Clarke recently asserted he doesn’t have to apologise to anyone for “doing his own thing” on the parking meter abomination.
Not even to his 2800 constituents?
…at Reg 5 RDC
Since Prezzie diplomatically spoke to City Hall about their Parking Meter overreaching, could he have a word with his Councillors on the Reg 5 RDC?
They’ve prevented meetings of the Council for months in supposed defence of Prezzie’s honour. Does Prezzie think he was dishonoured?
