One of this island’s top prosecutors on Wednesday lamented that Barbados has become a “fast food, fast cash, fast everything” society where some people do not want to put in the work to make an honest living.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DDPP) Alliston Seale made the comments in sentencing submissions before the High Court where he suggested that the four St Michael young men responsible for the shooting death of bread vendor Hayden Mayers be given a starting sentence of between 10 to 15 years in prison.
Kishmar Issachar Omar Young of Chase Gap, Halls Road; Wayne Ricardo Bryan of School Lane, Halls Road; Romario Hobbs Daisley of Tranmore Lane, Waterford; and Rashon Akeem Sealy of 3rd Avenue Alleynes Land, Bush Hall had pleaded guilty to the offence of manslaughter in connection with Mayers’ November 8, 2018 death.
Mayers was shot and killed while plying his trade along Bank Hall, St Michael.
“This is a very, very sad traumatic case,” the Deputy DPP said as he addressed Madam Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell in the No. 4 Supreme Court.
“This is a case where . . . the facts spoke of an industrious man, a man by the name of Hayden Mayers who, notwithstanding working during the day as a pool cleaner, took on the trade of selling bread at night. So, he had two jobs to support himself and his family . . . .”
On the other hand, said Seale, before the court were four young men at the beginning of their lives “who should have been full of vigour and vitality, willing to put their individual hands to the plough” to make a living, just as Mayers had done.
“But we have a society now that seems to believe that there is a certain degree of entitlement. They have grown up in a society where everything is expediency. They have grown up in a society of fast food, fast cash, fast everything . . . . ‘I want it now,’” he said, adding that some people were not willing or prepared to make the necessary sacrifice in order to make an honest living.
He said he had read all the pre-sentencing reports compiled on the killers and all he got out of them was “wasted youth”.
“Again, in the fast food environment nobody wants to work,” Seale said, noting that the Barbados Police Service had 250-odd vacancies and there was a call for young men and women to join the ranks.
“…These men, thitherto the offence they committed, had clean records so at least they had a good start . . . meaning that they had an opportunity to apply for the [police service] and at least try.”
“But that job too hard for them. They don’t want to work at night other than rob . . . . No, that ain’t enough money but you rob a van and a shot went off and you ran and left it so you ain’t get no money at all. You could have gone to work for an honest day’s work, for an honest day’s pay but again it is greed and shortcuts. So while Hayden works two jobs to achieve his objectives, young people sitting down on the block and deciding who we gine rob,” the prosecutor said as he chastised the young men.
Recommending sentences for the convicts, the Deputy DPP pointed out that Mayers’ death was considered ancillary as the core offence committed was robbery.
“It was a case of manslaughter. The average citizen believes you had a gun, you went to rob, it must be murder. It is not, I didn’t make the law. The law says if death occurs in furtherance to another offence the only way that could be murder is if the . . . mental element was present – meaning that there was . . . an intention to kill or to cause serious bodily harm. . . ,” he explained.
He submitted that the punishment should be in the region of 10 to 15 years in prison with Young, who was the shooter, being at the top end, followed by Sealy, then Byran and Daisley, who were the “watchmen”, starting at ten years.
The necessary deductions such as the time they have spent on remand and their guilty pleas should also be considered, the prosecutor submitted.
The four will be sentenced on March 24.
