Today, many poor and powerless victims are seeking recourse to justice; but the courts have silenced their voices, while the rich and powerful perpetrators are allowed every latitude – in the media; in the National Assembly; in the public for a; and yes, in the justice system. The poor and powerless indeed have no voice, because even the so-called advocates for justice support the rich and powerful. Justice, it would appear, is on the auction block, sold to the highest bidder.
Two examples of such pending cases where the ‘voiceless poor’ cries out for justice are those of Deokie Pooran and Sheema Mangar. Pooran was merely 21, on the cusp of her life, with the expectations of life’s promises yet unfulfilled. She was the apple of her parents’ eyes, and the idol of her little sister. She was all things good to many people, including her employers, who described her as a model employee. But to the general society, her life had no value, because she was poor, powerless, and therefore voiceless.
Deokie was killed on 17th September, 2010 by a ruthless truck driver, who had no qualms about simultaneously speeding, overtaking and using his cellphone, all while driving his heavy-duty truck on the railway embankment, despite the latent threat his actions posed to other more vulnerable road-users.
She was approximately halfway between her home and her place of employment – mere yards away from both locations — but she never again reached her worksite. And her body only once more went home to her family – in a coffin in transit to the cemetery.
She was the only substantial contributor to her impoverished family of four. Deokie was responsible for most of the family’s expenses, because her father was ailing and could only work as an ill-paid watchman; and her mother, Carmen Itwaru, is a housewife. Deokie’s baby sister depended on her for most of her needs and educational accessories.
The truck driver’s wife was a policewoman at the Vigilance Police Station, where the report was made; so the family got from the system the royal runaround to get justice for the loss of their beloved daughter. The Police Force is a microcosm of the wider society, and the Guyanese society has become very lawless. The case was originally scheduled for November 2010, but the truck driver never turned up; and this begs the question of why he was out of prison in the first place. Due to his absence, the case was postponed to 10th February of the following year, or so Deokie’s poor and grieving parents were told. However, when the case was not called up, Deokie’s parents were advised to take their grievance to the Police Complaints Authority, presided over by Justice Cecil Kennard, by whom they were informed that the case had instead been called on the 6th January 2011 and, due to the case jacket not having been found, was further postponed to May of that year.
Deokie was no super-achiever, but she stood out in these times of rude, selfish and disrespectful young people. She was an exemplary daughter to her poor parents, a “humble and good worker” to her employers, and a superb role model to her little sister.
There were many similarities between Deokie and Sheema Manger, also 21. The latter was deliberately run down and murdered by a beast who had stolen her cellphone. Both worked to help themselves and their families, especially younger siblings whom they were helping to educate, and to whom they were exceptional role models. Both girls were disciplined and hard-working, continuing to pursue further studies while earning an income; both girls were taken from their loved ones in brutal ways; and both were servants of the Lord and regularly attended church, even serving as Sunday School teachers.
There were many witnesses to the wanton slaying of both girls, but no-one is willing to come forward. This is a terrible indictment on the Guyanese society.
Sheema Mangar’s parents, especially mom RadikaThakoor, are running around like headless chickens, trying to get answers and action so that justice will finally be served and some value be placed by society and the justice system on their daughter’s life.
Deokie Pooran’s parents are simple persons who cannot face up to the bullies in society, and who would not know the first step to take to pursue justice for their daughter. But maybe that is the wiser option, because whether by choice or not, they are too poor to receive justice for their silenced daughters; and they are voiceless in their helplessness in a society and a justice (sic!) system that continues to fail the poor and powerless.
