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GUYANA’S President Donald Ramotar yesterday sent his condolence to his American counterpart, Mr Barack Obama, commiserating with him on the tragic loss of lives in Newton, Connecticut, at the hands of a crazed gunman. In a short but touching message, President Ramotar said the tragedy has struck a chord with Guyanese, who know only too well the sting of death, though not on such a massive scale.
The following is the full text of President Ramotar’s message:
“Dear President Obama,
“The horrific and senseless killings of children and teachers at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, have struck a chord of grief and unbelief in the hearts of the people of Guyana.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Guyana and on my own behalf, I extend to the Government and people of the United States of America our heartfelt condolences. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims at this difficult time.
“Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
The quiet township of upmarket Newtown, Connecticut was plunged into mourning early Friday when 20-year-old Adam Lanza, who we’ve since learnt forced his way into the premises, indiscriminately shot and killed 26 people, the majority of them children between the ages of five to 10, at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Among his victims, reports say, were four teachers, who all died trying to save their pupils, and two other adults. The rest were children.
When he had finally satisfied his quest for vengeance, he turned the gun on himself. He’d already killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, at another location not far from the school, before setting out on his rampage.
According to the British paper, the Daily Mail, Newtown was ranked the fifth safest city in America by the website NeighborhoodScout.com, based on 2011 crime statistics.
It also quoted Julie Maxwell Shull, a sixth-grade teacher at Reed Intermediate School, as saying, “This wonderful town that we all love for its peace, beauty, the great schools … all of that … has become Columbine,” in obvious reference to the high school that was the site of a 1999 shooting in Colorado.
Another resident, one Catherine Hunyadi, said as she and her husband both wiped tears from their eyes, “We came here because it was going to be a good, safe community for our kids. You don’t send your kids to school thinking something like this might happen.”
Many people who live in the wealthy, wooded town, The Daily Mail reported, commute to New York City, which is about 80 miles away.
The following is the full text of President Ramotar’s message:
“Dear President Obama,
“The horrific and senseless killings of children and teachers at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, have struck a chord of grief and unbelief in the hearts of the people of Guyana.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Guyana and on my own behalf, I extend to the Government and people of the United States of America our heartfelt condolences. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims at this difficult time.
“Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
The quiet township of upmarket Newtown, Connecticut was plunged into mourning early Friday when 20-year-old Adam Lanza, who we’ve since learnt forced his way into the premises, indiscriminately shot and killed 26 people, the majority of them children between the ages of five to 10, at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Among his victims, reports say, were four teachers, who all died trying to save their pupils, and two other adults. The rest were children.
When he had finally satisfied his quest for vengeance, he turned the gun on himself. He’d already killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, at another location not far from the school, before setting out on his rampage.
According to the British paper, the Daily Mail, Newtown was ranked the fifth safest city in America by the website NeighborhoodScout.com, based on 2011 crime statistics.
It also quoted Julie Maxwell Shull, a sixth-grade teacher at Reed Intermediate School, as saying, “This wonderful town that we all love for its peace, beauty, the great schools … all of that … has become Columbine,” in obvious reference to the high school that was the site of a 1999 shooting in Colorado.
Another resident, one Catherine Hunyadi, said as she and her husband both wiped tears from their eyes, “We came here because it was going to be a good, safe community for our kids. You don’t send your kids to school thinking something like this might happen.”
Many people who live in the wealthy, wooded town, The Daily Mail reported, commute to New York City, which is about 80 miles away.
