Open letter to Valayden

The Honourable Prime Minister, N. Ramgoolam wants to put people first. The moves by the present government have satisfied one and all. Your action is against the above-named philosophy. I would hope that the government does not support your views.

In the name of justice, I shall like to ask you a few questions:

1. Are you acting as Rama Valayden, a citizen, the jolly good fellow who likes to be surrounded by people like the one whom you venerated, the late Sir Gaetan Duval? He was an honourable man.

2. Do you realise that you are now a Minister? I am of opinion that through your actions, you?re devoid of all senses to allow murderers, rapists, drug traffickers to be set free for the only reason that there is no space in the prisons to keep them aloof from society. Do not listen to Bill Duff, Mauritius is not his birthplace.

3. Have you forgotten the traumatised people of this society? They are not only the poor ones, but they are also people who live with a mental trauma. Let me remind you that there was a Kaya episode when the country was without life for months. You know better than me.

Letting loose people who have raped, threatened to kill is not the solution.

Personal Experience.

We have lived a trauma for the past years and yet the people who threatened to kill us have been bailed out for only Rs.3,000. The magistrates of the court are human beings. They are prone to commit mistakes. God bless them all. The culprits were made to pay less than Rs.5 per day for our suffering which is haunting us still daily. A normal citizen of the society values his life much more than Rs.5 per day. He/she needs peace of mind, liberty of movement and a secure environment.

The Facts

Honourable Minister Sir,

1. You are no more Rama.

2. You are a Minister from whom the society expects diligent moves to make us feel safer.

3. You need space for your convicts, BUILD SPACES.

4. Your actions may be perceived as a demotivating factor for the police force who is doing a marvellous job.

5. You should make the society feel more secure. Your move, if it were to succeed, I HOPE NOT, should be within a framework where there is an advisory board to help lawmakers, and for God?s sake, the board should have a chairman who is not from the legal profession. Why not a doctor with forensic knowledge or a reputed psychologist?

Rama, you are not practising as a lawyer, you are a Minister. Shoulder your responsibilities.

We believe in you. Live up to our expectations. May God give you the insight of how to make people feel more secure.

Dr. Ben VEERARAGOO