Prerogative of Mercy Council sworn in

TIMES INT'L
President David Granger and Attorney General Basil Williams (extreme left) with the newly sworn in members of the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy on Wednesday at the Ministry of the Presidency
President David Granger and Attorney General Basil Williams (extreme left) with the newly sworn in members of the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy on Wednesday at the Ministry of the Presidency

President David Granger has urged a new five-member Advisory Council of the Prerogative of Mercy to use their culture, values and religious persuasion to exercise compassion to incarcerated persons.

The President offered the admonition Wednesday afternoon, after swearing in the five members of the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy board at the Ministry of the Presidency.

The Council, guided by the Constitution, will be allowed the opportunity to grant pardon to a convicted prisoner, conditionally or otherwise, or grant a respite of the execution of the punishment imposed. The Council is to advise the President on such matters.

According to President David Granger, Guyana currently needs a quality of mercy that will transform the political culture from what he said has become a “dog eat dog” way of life.

“In Guyana, we need that quality of mercy. We need to transform the political culture. We need to be more compassionate and more merciful. Because if you have a President that is not compassionate and is not capable of extending mercy, what sort of country do you want our children to grow up in?

He said the simple ceremony was a representation of the kind of Country Guyanese must live in and the types of relationship each citizen must have.

He thanked the group for coming forward, urging them to be fearless despite the inevitable criticisms.

The five-member team includes Carl Hanoman, Justice Duke Pollard, Yvonne Heywood Benn, Merle Mendonca and Justice James Patterson.

Article 188 of the Constitution empowers the President to grant to convicted persons a State pardon – the very act establishes an Advisory Council on the prerogative which is expected to advise the President.

The Prerogative of Mercy is exercised in instances of petition, usually from a convicted person or persons acting on their behalf.

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