Nine years is a long time for anyone to be languishing in Remand Yard, caught in judicial limbo as a result of circumstances beyond their control.
Without making any pronouncements regarding their innocence or guilt, it is essential to underscore the travesty suffered by the men who, after enduring years of adjournments and frustrating delays in the preliminary inquiry into the murder charges laid against them, must now go through the process all over again.
This situation, much more than any other, highlights shortcomings in the judiciary system and the ongoing turmoil that continues to deny so many of their right to a fair and speedy trial.
These men and their families have not been giving the rights due them under our judicial system. It is their right to have their cases heard and decided.
This is also a grave injustice to the loved ones of the victims in these cases, who have been forced to wait so long to see justice determined.
As it now stands, inordinate delays have left their cases stuck at the preliminary when, long before now, they should have had the opportunity to either have the charges dismissed at the end of that stage, or the opportunity to be tried by a judge and jury.
But the more severe transgression is that the Judiciary failed to ensure that the promotion of a magistrate was not conducted in such a manner as not to create this situation in the first place.
It is imperative that these cases be restarted at the earliest opportunity and completed in the shortest possible time.
Justice has been delayed for far too long.
T&T's roads, not car worthy
Although the fuss over vehicle inspections has died down, there is another issue that needs to be placed on the national front burner—the state of many of this country's roads.
Motorists can legitimately claim that several roads are making their vehicles unroadworthy. Although there have been promises, announcements of grand plans and even attempts at road repair programmes, these have never been sustained long enough to make a significant difference.
The truth is that outside of those election-inspired road resurfacing drives, to win votes, road maintenance is not sustained. A testament to that fact is large portions of the network of highways, major and minor roads are patchworks of potholes, erosion and uneven surfaces, posing constant hazards to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
It is time for a new practical and sustained approach to road repairs.
Lessons from a cricket master
Legendary batsman Brian Charles Lara demonstrated his commitment to the development of cricket recently by opening his Lady Chancellor Hill home to the top graduates of the 2018 bmobile Cricket Academy. What a memorable experience it must have been for those up and coming cricketers to have some one-on-one time with a true master of the game.