No justice without equal rights
An Open letter to the Attorney General of SVG
Mr Jaundy Martin
Dear Sir,
It was Ella Wheeler Wilcox who wrote, “To sin by silence when we should protest makes a coward out of men. “The human race has climbed on protest Had no voice been raised against injustice, ignorance, and lust, the inquisition yet would serve the law. The few who dare must speak and speak again to right the wrongs of many.”
It seems that many in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, our people are becoming more and more conscious that we owe it to ourselves, to our children and grandchildren, as wel1 as the country and the greater good, to speak out when we see injustice and abuse of power. We cannot sit idly by and not be concerned about what is happening in this blessed land Hairouna and the dispensing of justice to the ordinary man of this nation.
It appears that justice is not only blind in St. Vincent and the Grenadines but also it has two faces. It was Martin Luther King who popularized the quotation, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat· to justice everywhere! ‘The distrust of the justice system (as oxymoronic as it may seem) is so prevalent in our country now more than before can breed a new kind of lawlessness, and a form of open or subtle vigilantism which consequently threatens the undermining of the entire justice system and erodes the country’s trust in law enforcement, the very same fabric on which justice hinges.
This downward spiral eventually corrodes the moral authority of law enforcement and creates widening rifts in the community. We are therefore calling on all well-intentioned persons including all of your legal advisors to address this vexing ordeal expeditiously and intervene now.
Don’t let the anger ofthe people go unheard. (Martin Luther cautioned,’ riot is the language of the unheard.’) We surely don’t wish blessed Hairouna to sink into further social decadence or unrest when it can be prevented. Our people are experiencing an unprecedented level of poverty never before seen in this blessed land. Let us not provoke our people to further wrath.
We are already experiencing the highest level of unemployment since adult suffrage and hike in the prices of goods and services because of unjust taxation. In essence, we are facing our lowest standard of living of all times as a nation. Our organization, (Association Of Writers Of SVG) is duty-bound to join in the struggle for justice for Mr. Cornelius John who was allegedly shot by a custodian of the Ministry of justice and accomplices in the sanctuary of his home on private property. It has been almost two months now, no arrest was made, no one has been charged, no one relieved of their duty or duties as would happen in any ‘civilized’ nation or democratic state founded on the principles of, ‘No man is above the law,'[ and our nation is a nation of laws and not of men.’
Association of Writers of SVG was established under the guiding principles, to speak out for the voiceless, the marginalized, the victimized, the disenfranchised, and the socially excluded.
Sir, I would like you to reflect on all of the aforementioned and be of good courage and, faith to
be fair in the pursuit of justice, fair play, ethics, integrity, equity, and equality in the justice system for which you are a prime executor. We are awaiting your just action and that you take our call seriously. On account of what has happened to Mr. John and the course that was taken to address the issue most right-thinking Vincentians are asking, am I next? We are kindly soliciting your intervention on this disgusting matter legal and that ‘justice must not only be served it must appear to be served. ‘We want justice without fear or favour let due process proceed for the maintenance of the rule of law. ‘Justice delayed is justice denied.’
Yours Respectfully,
Dr. Chester Toney
President of Association OfWriters SVG
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