Dear Editor,
I have a dream that one day Guyana will have a strong president—one with the courage to ensure that the most heinous criminals, the worst of the worst, face the full consequences of the law, including the death penalty. Until that day comes, it remains only a dream.
I do not believe Guyana has ever had, nor is likely soon to have, leadership with the resolve to carry out lawful death sentences. Past and present leaders have shown weakness, and murderers know this. The absence of consequences has emboldened criminals and left ordinary citizens exposed and afraid.
Where I currently live in Providence, our community is under clear and present danger from criminal attacks. Residents live with constant fear, believing it is only a matter of time before lives are lost. Many crimes go unreported—not because people do not care, but because confidence in the police’s ability to protect the community has all but collapsed.
Contrast this with developments elsewhere. According to The Guardian (31 December 2025), executions in the United States surged in 2025 to their highest level in 16 years. A total of 47 men were executed—nearly double the number in 2024—reflecting a renewed determination by political and judicial authorities to enforce sentences already handed down by the courts.
Whether one supports or opposes capital punishment is a legitimate debate. But what cannot be debated is this: when laws exist but are not enforced, criminals prosper and citizens suffer. Guyana’s crisis is not the absence of laws—it is the absence of leadership willing to act decisively.
Until that changes, many Guyanese will continue living in fear, dreaming of the day when justice, safety, and accountability are more than empty promises.