Suddenly, ACDA and the PNC are speaking up.

It could be that I have a very short memory. But for the love of Mike I cannot recall hearing a public response from either ACDA or the PNC to questions about their apparent condoning of the perpetration of violent crimes against non-Afro-Guyanese.

That was when the five prisoners - "freedom fighters" according to ACDA - killed a 21-year-old prison officer and permanently injured a female prison warder (both Afro-Guyanese, incidentally!) as they broke out of the Georgetown Prison on Mash Day 2002.

I put "both Afro-Guyanese" in bracket because I wanted to emphasize that ACDA and the PNC remained silent when these so-called freedom fighters did anything to anyone.

Whenever those criminals were implicated in the murder a policeman or a civilian, ACDA and the PNC, and the Guyana Human Rights Association as well, said nothing. The talking started when the police started fighting back on behalf of the people of Guyana and the bodies of criminals began to pile up.

The three either bawled "extra-judicial killings" or, as is now more popular, an officially sanctioned phantom force is at work.

It kind of reminds me of when I was a youngster. When I did something I consciously knew was wrong, I kept silent. It was no big deal. On the other hand, when my brothers and sisters wronged me, I made sure my parents knew.

Unfortunately, what we are dealing with her isn't child's play.

So my question is: Why is it okay for known criminals to kill innocent people, but it is not okay for these very known criminals to be killed by people?

My honest contention is that had fitting action not been taken against those criminals who were creating mayhem in our society and embarrassing our country on the international scene, they would have had Guyana in uproar right about now!