Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 19, 2017 News
By Leonard Gildarie
The past week has been a tough one for Guyana. The parking meter fiasco continues to fuel deep
division in the city. It has banded together a cross-section of stakeholders that I have not seen before. I don’t expect this issue to go away anytime soon.
The inconsistencies and the birth of this contract will go down as a blot in Georgetown’s history. We know that City Hall is dead set in continuing the project with its partner, Smart City Solutions. No amount of spin can cloud the core issues.
I happened to have been in court last week for a case. I am not sure what is happening, but much needs to be done to improve some of the conditions under which our judges and magistrates are forced to work.
It had been a while since I visited the courts. As I sat there listening to the judge, I wondered how the lawyers and other persons in the room could hear her. You cannot have a public session where in the public gallery where you can hardly hear the evidence and even the judge. This has been the way for years. It is a major problem that has led not only to delays in decisions, but opens up the way for records to be altered.
An open court proceeding allows members of the public to attend and hear cases that may be of their interest…both criminal and civil.
In the court Friday, I strained to hear the judge and lawyers for both sides as they argued their case. I even saw one lawyer venturing near the judge’s area because he could not hear.
These are simple problems to fix. Speakers, amplifiers and recording devices are available and don’t have to cost millions. There are several options in terms of brands and different specifications.
It is disheartening in this day and age that our judges and magistrates are forced to write arguments and evidence that should have been recorded. As it is now, the only records of the proceedings are what the judge writes of what he/she hears.
There were a number of inquiries ordered by Government last year. Guess what? The proceedings were all taped and persons were paid to produce the texts of the proceedings. Those transcriptions were done in a jiffy.
I am aware that the previous administration had started moves to soundproof some of the court rooms. I know one judge who ordered policemen stationed in the court to arrest drivers who were tooting their horns and bring them to court so that they can be made an example of.
On Friday, a courthouse – at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara – was re-commissioned.
It boasts spanking news benches and soundproof rooms I am told. I don’t see any mention of microphones and speakers. So we spend millions to go back to square one.
Consecutive governments have been working on a plan to upgrade our justice system, including new courts to tackle domestic issues and other civil matters. We recently introduced night courts to tackle the backlog. We have to move fast. There was a time that the judges’ written decisions were taking a long time in coming and a programme was introduced where the judges even received millions of dollars to close the files by completing the decisions.
I am a layman, but I understand fully the bureaucracy when it comes to procurement of items and services. We spend billions on other projects. A project to introduce sound and recording system in the courts along with trained personnel should remain a key initiative that has to be fast-tracked.
That is…unless we are not interested for one reason or the other. That is another story.
This past week, immigrants in the US were gripped by fear and deep worry.
Authorities there are carrying out crackdowns to capture illegals who are involved in criminal activities.
Immigration officials have resorted to visiting work places and even staking out train stations. I am told that attention is turning to the hospitals which are used by illegals.
It is a situation that Guyana should be paying close attention to.
There are over 300,000 Guyanese living in the New York area alone. Liberty Avenue, in Queens, was virtually a ghost area this past week as businesses closed their doors in protest and in anticipation of relentless raids. Many of them are employing illegals. Many of the illegals are Guyanese who overstayed their visas and did not or were not able to regularize their legal status.
While the US government is saying that the crackdown is to target criminals, there are reports of persons being picked up and readied to be sent home.
The new President Donald Trump has rocked the establishment and seems hell-bent on carrying out his campaign promises of reducing the impact of illegals on the country’s economy, as health care and other benefits are being affected.
In Guyana, we have to be ready. Whether we like it or not, we will have to prepare to accept Guyanese being sent back. Many families have been caught in the crossfire. They will not be legalized, unless Trump has a change of heart.
We are a small country with just 700,000 persons. Our police are struggling to deal with criminals who are getting wiser by the day. They are organized. Imagine quite a few criminals who have been uprooted and sent back home being placed in such a tinderbox.
Many of these folks don’t know Guyana. Guyana is tough if compared to the living standards of the US. Many of those returning will need to be strong and willing to be good citizens. It is not hard to imagine how difficult it will be to monitor and keep track of hundreds of criminals and others being sent back.
We will have to think of jobs, security, and the added pressure to our hospitals, and social programmes.
On the plus side, we will, if the current reports are true, have to deal with persons who have been trained and become accustomed to the skills of the US. We can benefit from such a situation.
Whichever way it is looked at, we have, as a country, quite a few things to think about, in addition to what we already have on the table.
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
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