By Tracey Khan – Drakes
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and local gay rights advocacy group – Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) – protested this morning (Monday, October 27) , outside the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court over what they say is the slow pace of justice after several of their friends were shot at by unknown persons at King Street and North Road earlier this year.
One of the victims, Seyon Persaud also known as ‘Isabella Bell’ recalled being shot at twice by ‘unknown persons’ on April 12, 2014 while plying his trade as a Commercial Sex Worker.
The matter has reached the Court, however, iNews understands that the sitting Magistrate was forced to return the file to the Brickdam Police Station due to its unprofessional compilation.
During the protest today, a number of their colleagues came out in solidarity to protest against what they deem “injustice” against the gay community.
“Every time we come to Court, the Magistrate always telling we that the case got to call back and she give we a date. One time she said to me that the file gotta come from DPP, well I don’t know right but we asking the DPP to send the files down so the Magistrate could press charges on these people, because I need justice,” Persaud said.
The disappointed protester explained that lives could have easily lost and is now demanding that justice be served. The Commercial Sex Worker is also alleging that some police officers were involved in the shooting.
“This is making me feel terrible as a born Guyanese citizen in my country and I feel like I don’t have any rights in my own country where I was born and raised.”
Many of the persons from the LGBT community held placards that read:
- “Protect the rights of the LGBT Guyanese”
- “Police need to do their duty”
- Minister Rohee we are Guyanese too”,
- “Stop the hate, we are one, treat us respectfully and we will do the same.”
Members of the LGBT community continue to mount their calls for equal rights as every other Guyanese; however, their calls have been met with much resistance from some stakeholders.
Earlier in the year two gay men were brutally killed by an aggrieved lover who also took his own life; that incident sparked a countrywide debate, whether the lifestyle should be legalized or not.
I’m not saying its right. At the sometime if they gay they gay leave them people alone. Thats they business, the sameones who attacking them is undercover. So they don,thate dem they hate them self
THE RELIGIOUS NUTS ENCOURAGES VIOLENCE ON THESE HUMANS..
WAAN EDGE HILL A PPP MEMBER IS ONE AH DEM PEOPLE AND PPP STILL GAT HE AS MINISTER THEREFORE IT SHOWS THAT PPP CONDONE GAY BASHING..