Dear Editor,
IT is now more than seven months since I was shot outside of my home. We have received more than 650 messages of support from people all over the world, and I thought this could be a simple thank you to all those comments and outpourings of love and empathy.

Time has passed; no one has been arrested and my hand is still paralysed. There has been so much publicity in several newspapers and radio and TV programmes in more than 10 countries. Surely, many, many persons are tired of ‘my story’, but it is not ‘my’ story; it has become ‘our’ story. The shooting happened after we expelled a young boy for allegedly selling drugs in schools. All this was shared with the police. The threats made against schools in the capital were also shared with the police and with the American Embassy in Georgetown, as these threats came from a young man in Florida. Again, no action. It was reported to us by the Guyana police that the same Florida youth was interviewed by the FBI, and his response that the whole matter was just a ‘joke’ was enough to end any further action. It is therefore ‘our’ story, in that an attempted murderer is left on the loose; drugs continue to be peddled in many schools; children are being intimidated not to come forward to give evidence… So it is not ‘my’ story but a tragic situation that affects us all. And what has been the response to date, from the police who have provided no feedback, the American Embassy who are content to judge vicious threats as a mere ‘joke’ , and the media as they move on to another ‘story.’

Regards,
Dr. Brian O’Toole
Director, School of the Nations