THE EDITOR: As a deeply traumatised citizen of this country, I can excuse the Government for its many failings. However, its lack of compassion for those murdered and missing, the innocent and not so innocent, is what I find most appalling and callous.
No one accepts responsibility and fingers are pointed at us the citizens, as though we somehow have the ability and resources to deal with this scourge.
I am in the unenviable position of remembering the many faces and names of victims, who I did not even know.
I feel their pain because of the untimely and often gruesome death of children, parents, the young and old.
Then there are the survivors who are alive but who have also experienced death in a different way. No more birthdays, anniversaries, Christmases, nothing more to celebrate.
Some are just making it through, day by day, held together sometimes by their faith or their loved ones. Are they being counselled by therapists who have experience in dealing with this type of trauma or are they simply forgotten?
Then there are those who use their voices and fingers as weapons to take a last photo of someone as they take their last breath or has just died. They quickly post these photos on social media, exposing their inhumanity.
They mostly do not know the victims but are quick to make assumptions, some even knowing that they are untruths. Are they not afraid of the consequences of their lies? I wonder, do they have loved ones? How would they feel if this happened to one of their family members?
Grieving families are now in further pain, some having to defend the innocence of their loved ones, others silently bearing the pain. Some having only learned of the death of a loved one through these gruesome images on social media.
On the day the young woman who had taken her vehicle to service at Toyota was killed, I passed there on my way to South Park Mall to experience Christmas in July. I saw the police in their numbers and I could only think that moments before someone had been killed and life was moving along.
As I stood waiting for the rain to subside, I mentioned to a robust security guard standing next to me that a woman had just been murdered. Without skipping a beat, he knew why she was killed. He did know the victim because the crime had just taken place, not even aware that a crime had taken place, but he was able to put forward an unsavoury motive.
I tried to explain that there are many reasons why people are killed but he was adamant that he knew why. With a long gun in his hand, I said no more.
I was not prepared to see the photo of a smiling, beautiful, young woman hours later in her wedding dress, now murdered.
Sadly, Government ministers will continue drinking champagne, partying with the elites, eating the best and living very secure lives, their loved ones protected by their security details.
Meanwhile, blood has stained and will continue to stain the streets, homes, entertainment areas, shopping malls, groceries, parlours, you name it. And though the rain may have washed
