Persons responsible are barbaric criminals – President Ali

Berbice double murder

…urges citizens not to be divided, pledges to address race relations in Guyana
…families, Guyanese call for justice

Assuring that all resources will be utilised to ensure the perpetrators responsible for the heinous murders of two young men in West Coast Berbice face the full brunt of the law, President Dr Irfaan Ali described the culprits as “barbaric criminals” as he urged citizens not to be divided on this issue and committed his Administration to addressing race relations in Guyana.

“This is a horrific incident, I have spoken to the Commissioner of Police and Minister of Home Affairs in ensuring that all the tools available are utilised to ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are brought to justice swiftly,” President Ali told a news conference on Monday.
The bodies of 16-year-old Isaiah Henry and 19-year-old Joel Henry were on Sunday discovered with chop wounds to their faces, necks, and heads. They had gone into the backdam at Cotton Tree to pick coconuts when the gruesome killings took place.
President Ali said he spoke with the families of the two young men where he pledged his Government’s support in helping them get justice.
In expanding on the brutal murders, President Ali contended that the “persons responsible for this are barbaric criminals. I can’t see them being humans.”

Calm, respectful
In the same breath, however, he urged citizens who are angry to express their rage in a respectful manner.

President Ali explained that persons cannot, in demonstrating their emotions, do so in an unlawful manner. “The two don’t go hand in hand,” he said.
In fact, in an address to the nation on this tragic situation, he made a passionate appeal to residents of West Coast Berbice to express their emotions in a manner that is lawful and respectful and allow the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to carry out its duties uninterrupted.
“Whatever you do in demonstrating your emotions, I speak to you to do so in a peaceful manner, in a respectful manner,” the President said, noting that he understands their pain and hurt.
“I assure them that as President, I will work very, very hard to ensure that those criminals are brought to justice and as society, as a country, we have to heal, we have to work on strengthening our relationship. We have to work in ensuring that at times like these, criminalities like this do not reoccur.”

Divided
In his address to the nation, the Head of State cautioned all Guyanese to be very careful regarding their statements and comments on social media so as to avoid the situation deteriorating.
“I want to ask all Guyanese not to use this moment to divide us or to separate us but for us to be conscious of the implications that our statements, comments and posts could have, especially on social media.”
He added: “What we can do as a people, as a country, as Guyanese is to strengthen our resolve. Strengthen our commitment, strengthen our sense of purpose, to our communities, to our neighbours, our friends, to each other…our community does not have to go through these painful moments, these tragic moments that these events would have caused.”

Opposition politicising situation
During the press conference, Ali used the opportunity to call out the leaders of the main political opposition, who are politicising the situation.
Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon and former President David Granger on Monday visited the victims’ families where they made certain remarks which were inciting.
Granger, for instance, called for “self-defence society” to protect themselves if the Government fails to do so, contending that the killings of the young men are linked to the pro-democracy protests erupted across the country. Harmon, similarly, contended that the perpetrator(s) must have felt “empowered” to commit such a heinous crime. In fact, both Opposition politicians encouraged the residents to continue with the violent protests.
President Ali, in response, reminded that whilst in Opposition, he and the PPP/C issued more than five statements calling on the pro-democracy protesters to act responsibly, to be peaceful and respectful.
“We went out there and talked to the people to come off the road, we talked to the people to go back home,” he reminded, noting that “Mr Granger has a responsibility, and in going there, you can either help the situation by talking to people to be lawful and respectful, or you can decide to ignite the situation.”
According to President Ali, the PPP/C intends to focus on improving relations and having a more peaceful society.

Race relations
In fact, President Ali explained that his Administration intends to pursue policies and programmes that reflect the needs and aspirations of all the people of Guyana, which, in turn, will promote an atmosphere of inclusivity.

In response to questions from the media, he pointed out that as President, he cannot develop a policy or programme for “every bandit that killed someone, or for every farmer that does something illegal, or every crime that happens out there”.
But he noted that the Government will create institutions and mechanisms to address these issues whenever they occur and ensure people are brought to justice, and that they will not believe they can get away with committing these acts.
Moreover, he said his Government will soon establish its Youth Advisory Council, which will have a major task of working on race relations. President Ali said the Council will be required to create a new culture and environment, and a new sense of purpose among citizens. He said they will be tasked with visiting at-risk communities and developing frameworks of action that the Government can pursue to help those communities.
President Ali made it clear that addressing issues of race relations require maturity and responsibility from all stakeholders, and he urged every citizen to do the right thing to ensure peace and harmony prevails.

Justice
The killing of the teens has led to outraged as Guyanese from all walks of life called for justice. The boys’ parents on Monday urged that persons allow the Police to carry out their investigations as they desperately want justice for teens.
Gail Johnson, the mother of 19-year-old Joel Henry, said that her son did indicate to her that he was going in the backdam but she never expected him to be killed. Meanwhile, Gladstone Henry, the father of Isaiah Henry said that his son also told him that he was going to the backdam. He said that this was not a strange phenomenon since they have farm in the backlands. He said that it was his wife, who expressed concern when their son did not return home.
He explained that on Sunday morning, a search party went back to look for the teens but their efforts were futile. It was after seeing some of the peeled coconuts but no signs of the teens that the family then went to the Police.
The search party returned and it was during a further search that the gruesome discover was made. (G11)