The recent announcement by the Guyana government to appeal the $22.5 million judgment awarded to the family of Quindon Bacchus—a young African Guyanese man fatally shot by a police officer—is nothing short of a travesty of justice. This decision reflects a systemic disregard for accountability and fairness, raising questions about the government’s commitment to addressing the long-standing issue of police brutality and racial inequity.
Quindon Bacchus was shot and killed in June 2022 by Lance Corporal Kristoff De Nobrega, an agent of the state. The state has already accepted liability for this heinous act, yet instead of honoring the court’s decision, it is now challenging the quantum of compensation awarded to Bacchus’ family. Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s justification for the appeal—that the judge went “beyond the evidence”—is both legally dubious and morally repugnant. It sends a chilling message to African Guyanese: justice is conditional, negotiable, and ultimately, elusive.
Human rights activist Rickford Burke did not mince words, condemning the government’s actions as a blatant expression of racial discrimination. “In another clear example of the disdain and contempt the racist leaders in the PPP government have for African Guyanese, they today announced that they are appealing the measly $22 million judgment the court awarded to Quindon Bacchus’ family for his unlawful willful killing,” Burke stated. His words resonate with a population that has seen similar patterns of disregard for the lives and rights of African Guyanese.
The facts are plain to see. Bacchus’ killing was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of systemic abuse resulting in the murders of Guyanese citizens. Despite the findings of the Police Complaints Authority and recommendations from the Director of Public Prosecutions for criminal charges against the officers involved, the government has chosen to focus its energy on minimizing compensation for the victim’s family. Burke further lambasted the decision: “Just imagine. The Police, agents of the state, willfully murdered Quindon Bacchus. The government lied three times to cover up the murder. Now the racists in the PPP are telling the Bacchus family and the entire African Guyanese population that Black people like Bacchus’ family are not entitled to compensation when they are killed by PPP government agents.”
The appeal is a clear betrayal of Bacchus’ family and it sets a dangerous precedent. It undermines the judiciary’s role in holding the state accountable and sends a clear signal that African Guyanese lives are undervalued. As Burke so poignantly pointed out, “I guess only East Indian in the PPP support base alone are entitled to be compensated from state funds. The only thing left for the PPP government of Guyana to do is declare African Guyanese as slaves in our own land.”
This decision reflects a deepening racial divide in Guyana, where African Guyanese are increasingly alienated from the promises of justice and equality. It raises critical questions; How can the state reconcile its responsibility to protect all its citizens when its actions repeatedly undermine one segment of the population? How long can such disparities persist before they tear the country apart?
The government’s actions must be seen for what they are; an attempt to diminish the worth of African Guyanese lives and perpetuate a system where accountability is a privilege, not a right. The Bacchus family deserves justice, not just for their son but for all African Guyanese who see their experiences mirrored in his tragedy.
