Too light sentences for men guilty of commiting violence against women
SPEAKER of the National Assembly, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, has noted with concern that, in Guyana, the sentencing of offenders who commit violence on women is ‘woefully inadequate’. Calling for longer periods of imprisonment, Mr. Ramkarran strongly expressed the view that the time has come when women should speak up about the types of sentencing our male-dominated judiciary institutes against not only men who do violence against women, but all people who do violence in our country.   

The Speaker made this observation on Wednesday as he delivered the opening remarks at a round table discussion, titled “Women as Agents of Change’, at the Education Lecture Theatre, University of Guyana, Turkeyen campus.

The forum was sponsored jointly by the Guyana Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (of which Mr. Ramkarran is Chairman) and the Canadian High Commission, and formed part of a four-day programme of activities held here in observance of Commonwealth Day 2011.

Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. Francois Montour, also delivered brief remarks at the forum which was attended by predominantly women, representing diverse groupings and University of Guyana students as well.

The panel of speakers comprised Priya Manickchand, Minister of Human Services and Social Seccurity; Mrs. Indranie Chandarpal MP; Ms. Volda Lawrence MP; Ms. Cheryl Sampson MP; Ms. Bhagmat Hochand (Representative of FITUG); and Ms. Kimberly Halley (Representative of the Guyana TUC).

The forum also coincided with the culmination of a week of celebrations of the achievements of women over the last 100 years, during which there was fierce lobbying for women to work with renewed dynamism to achieve their goals. There was also lobbying to bring about further changes required to ensure that rules and legislation enacted to protect the rights of women and girls are robustly instituted, and not remain silent, as has happened in many cases.

Mr. Ramkarran, who feels very strongly about the ‘inadequate sentencing’ of men for offences against women, said that he has written on the matter on numerous occasions, adding that ‘nothing has changed’.

He alluded to two cases, which, when compared, strongly justified his position. One case (locally) in which the reputed husband of a woman from whom he had been separated, went to her home, slit her throat, then proceeded to slit the throat of her two daughters as well. Fortunately however, the two daughters survived, he recalled.

In that matter, the defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment. The Speaker contended that the defendant, who was somewhere in his forties, even on condition of spending probably 15 years or so in prison, “…would still have a long life ahead of him.”

The second case highlighted was one in which a man in the United States stabbed his wife to death and stabbed her son, who survived. The fundamental difference; “He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole,” Mr. Ramkarran remarked.

This led him to ask the question “Is it that a woman’s life is cheaper in Guyana than in the United States?”

“All the offences against women, [including] many, many murders that attract the attention of our courts … all these offences get away with extremely light penalties,” he reiterated.

Albeit, the Speaker stated, the 20-year penalty for the offence of manslaughter is one of the highest within recent times. He added that he thinks that the time has come when women should speak out about our male-dominated judiciary, sentencing, not only men who do violence against women, but all people who do violence in our country – ultimately sentencing them to longer periods of imprisonment.   

And on Wednesday, the Guyana Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association also hosted a debating competition by students of the University of Guyana, on the moot:  “The Implementation of Electoral Quotas for Women in Guyana and other Commonwealth countries has significantly improved the conditions for women.” Affirming his support for the women’s cause, Mr. Ramkarran said he attached such significance to the debate by the students on the topic that Parliament made a concession to allow the use of the chamber on that occasion.

Said the Speaker:  “The Clerk of the National Assembly permits only debates of the National Assembly and sittings of Committes of the Parliament Chamber.  It is never used for any other purpose. On this occasion, we allowed students of the University of Guyana to enter our chamber and to facilitate this event.”