Guyanese view these wanton slayings with anger and disgust and firmly feel that the authorities should be more decisive in their campaign against these `merchants of death' who seem to be operating from a well organised ring.

Many people are of the view that a State has an obligation to its people to use its apparatus to limit, tame and subordinate the individual to make him subject to some generality of order.

Guyanese from all walks of life feel that the players of the 'killing game' must be told in no uncertain terms that the liberty of the individual(s) to do as he pleases, even in innocent matters, is not absolute, and they cannot continue with their killing spree.

They are not licenced to kill; they are not the law; they must not be allowed any longer to stalk the nation with fear.

They must no longer be allowed to stain their hands with the blood of others.

They must be stopped at all costs.

People are asking what manner of man without rhyme or reason would slaughter another person and just walk away as if nothing had happened?

Who would care for those innocent and defensive children whose fathers have been cut down by the murderous gangs?

Who will pilot them through the different stages of life until they are able to stand on their own?

Who will give them the love they deserve, especially the very young ones? Who will offer protection to them in times of danger?

Have the killers whose footprints stain with blood, the sand on which they walk ever asked themselves these very questions had the situation been reversed?

How would they have felt?

Perhaps it would not have made any difference, because these types of killings could have been carried out only by spineless and heartless creatures.

We believe that every member of society, regardless of colour, creed, religion or political persuasion should stand up and with one voice categorically and unequivocally condemn the brutal killings of our lawmen.

We mark with sadness the memory of the latest victim of the `merchants of death', Police Constable Nandkumar Mohabir (25) who was shot dead while driving a Police patrol vehicle at Buxton on Wednesday afternoon.

We cannot help but recall the words of Mark Anthony in Shakespeare's `Julius Caesar' when he said at his trial: "O judgement, thou hast fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost all reason."

Appalled at unruly behaviour
As an overseas based Guyanese I was appalled at what I read in regards to unruly behaviour by certain members of the crowd at both the Public Buildings and the Botanical Gardens at the solemn occasion of the state funeral of former President Hugh Desmond Hoyte who at the time of his death was the Leader of the Opposition.

First of all, I would like through the medium of your newspaper to express my condolences to Mrs. Joyce Hoyte and the relatives of Mr.Hugh Desmond Hoyte.

Conventions dictate a certain code of conduct to be observed on solemn occasions and it appears that such conventions were utterly ignored by sections of the crowd.

Guyana started on a slippery slope, when in the sixties hooliganism, mayhem and vandalism were introduced into the culture of Guyana. That culture has remained. That disgraceful disregard for the rights of others particularly those who are defenseless against coarse brutality should teach the leaders of political parties that Guyana today has in its midst a monster which may never be eradicated.

In closing I wish to say that “ He who plays with the puppy will be bitten by the fleas” those who fail to condemn Barbaric and Terroristic behaviour may well be on the receiving end when such solemnity should be observed.