Justice delayed for Joshav Grant is justice denied to all 

Joshav Grant is an innocent citizen of Barbados. None less than the Barbados Police Service, by its failure to charge him for a single offence from the events of January 7, 2022, says so.

The Bill of Rights of the Constitution of Barbados insists that Grant, like every one of us, has a right to “life, liberty and security of the person” and “the protection of the law”. It also guarantees that no person, whether they run a traffic light or kill another person, shall be deprived of his life intentionally without due process of law. The constitution goes further than even the supreme laws of other democracies so often quoted and trumpeted in the global village. Our constitution specifically says that the State can only use “reasonably justifiable” force to make “a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained”.

There is no evidence produced thus far, and there has been no denial of Grant’s recollections made to this newspaper in the company of his legal representatives that he was either the subject of a lawful arrest or attempted to evade detention.

So as with every other motorist on this island, mannerly or maddening, there is simply no justification for a hail of police bullets from a traffic stop. None.

The outrage that many justifiably feel as they scroll through the doom that is the story of often racialised policing of citizens in rich nations should also be invested in this young man’s story, and in what happens next.

In Barbados, there are daily indications of an inherent bias against young people in poor and urban areas in the wider society. However, society is not empowered by law to have and to hold lethal weapons. So while society should work to overcome its prejudice and discrimination that covers all shades of difference on this island, 21 months is more than long enough for accountability and justice on behalf of a young man whose future in sport has been severely blunted.

We hasten to remind you that in nearly two years, no evidence has been produced that Grant posed a threat to the lives of armed police officers. He failed to stop immediately on the sound of a siren. No court of law would consider this an act of evasion meriting a bullet to the back.

As awful as this encounter was, it could have been easily worse if the police bullets had also struck Grant’s girlfriend. Three struck the car. One struck the young man. One was more than enough.

There are rules of engagement in civilised police forces backed by training and retraining on the use of force. There were horrible failures in the execution of those rules in this case.

Despite its many flaws, some with deep historical bases, this society values fairness, integrity, and accountability. Stories like that of Joshav Grant should resonate with every Barbadian.

This is a tale of tragedy, injustice, and the desperate need for transparency and accountability in law enforcement. A young man’s life has taken a catastrophic turn by being shot by the police during a traffic stop. He is permanently incapacitated and in chronic pain, and remains blameless in the eyes of the law.

Grant was once a promising young athlete with dreams of a scholarship and significant career prospects in sports. His dreams were shattered in an instant with a bullet in his back. He is now confined to a life of chronic pain and disability. He can no longer pursue his passion for basketball, and his chances of securing a scholarship or playing professionally overseas have been irreparably damaged.

This young man, who had so much potential, is now reliant on the goodwill of his family to sustain him. His once-active life has been replaced by the torment of chronic pain, a life in which even the simplest activities become arduous tasks. For Grant, there are no breaks from the relentless pain that haunts him, 24 hours a day.

What makes this tragic story even more concerning is the glaring lack of accountability from the very institutions designed to uphold justice and protect our citizens. Twenty-one months have passed, and the police have yet to complete their internal investigation into the shooting incident. But then, can we expect a speedy but sure conclusion when the police are investigating themselves?

Since his story was published with its deeply troubling details, there has been no denying that Grant was shot after hesitating to stop the very instant upon hearing the police siren, a reaction that seems wholly disproportionate to the situation. It has not been disputed that he was left handcuffed to a hospital bed for two weeks, during which he developed bedsores. It is not in dispute that it took a writ of habeas corpus to compel the police to remove the handcuffs and allow him to see his relatives.

This prolonged lack of clarity, accountability, and compensation for Joshav’s suffering is a grave injustice. It is unfathomable that a young man who has never been charged with any criminal offence continues to endure physical and emotional pain without any resolution in sight. The Commissioner of Police and the Solicitor General have all been made aware of his plight but have failed to provide meaningful responses or progress in the investigation. Not in 21 months.

It is high time for the authorities to address this issue promptly and effectively. The public has a right to know if the use of force by the Barbados Police Service in this case was justified or wrongful, and what will happen to those who failed to “serve, protect and reassure”. In the pursuit of justice, transparency and accountability are paramount.

We call upon Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce, who assumed office shortly before this tragic incident, to give this case the attention it deserves. The people demand answers. Grant deserves nothing less than a completed impartial investigation into the circumstances that led to his life-altering injuries.

Furthermore, we urge the government to take action to ensure that victims like Grant are not left in legal limbo when such incidents occur. Justice delayed is justice denied, and we cannot allow such a travesty to persist. Grant’s case is a clarion call for reform in our brand new republic, a nation of laws where everyone is treated equally, regardless of their circumstances.

What then is the point of a renamed police service if its old name of “force” remains in its nature? What is the point of a republic if constitutional change will not result in robust and effective systems for the consistent protection of human rights?

In the name of all our people, we call for accountability, justice, and a brighter future for Grant. We must ensure that a similar fate is not visited upon any other motorist whose infractions annoy or alert police officers and that officers responsible for protecting us are held to the highest standards afforded under the law and regulations. And if those standards are not high enough, it is time to change the law.

The consequences of inaction only pave the way for the next Joshav Grant. That is a price that no one is willing to pay.