Justice for Tiffany, Delon, Champa and others..

Champa, Tiffany, Delon Melville (taken from media reports)

Tiffany's aunt talked about when she heard that Tiffany's body was found on the green. She said she did not believe Ole Bai was dead. Another of Tiffany's aunts remembered being at Ibamadai and in the night hearing a holler, and knowing that something was wrong with Ole Bai.

The Guyana Trans United organised a  march  to call for justice for Tiffany Holder, Nandkumar Punwassie and Delon Melville.



Tiffany's body was found on St Phillips Green on 11 Jan, 2013. There were police investigations which ended nowhere despite the vigilance of the family. The police had questioned several suspects but no charges have been laid.

Delon Melville's body was found in the fields in Mocha near where he lived on August 2 2013. His family and friends recall him as being quiet and involved in church and family life. Others also recalled some citizens in the area telling him to move out of Mocha. For these citizens, it seemed that 'Mocha, (like heaven? ) was not a place for homosexuals. And so it was that Delon's body was found back of the place where he lived most of his life. His killers have not been found and probably will not be found since righteousness prevails in Guyana. 


Somebody killed Nandkumar Poonwassie (Darshanie, Champa) and the body was found in Port Mourant on 26 November, 2013. Champa was remembered as being involved in family life and attending mandir.  There have been no arrests. Again, righteousness probably prevails in these far flung places.


Separation of Church and Hate
The march  started around 5pm not far from one Anglican church St Phillips - Tiffany's body had been found Green. I joined the march at the end near another Anglican church, St George's Cathedral. 

One of the slogans on the tee-shirts was about separation of church and hate. Guyana's homophobic laws and attitudes were inspired by the builders of these beautiful buildings. While some Anglicans have changed their views, the hate is still fuelled by those who love homosexuals and not their sins.

Delon's funeral was held in the church which he attended regularly.  Tiffany's funeral was also churched and Champa's funeral must have had a pandit present. It is not enough though, for the religious to just bury and cremate those whose killers are at large.  In Guyana, the religious are often mobilised to promote homophobia and it is as though, the religious leaders in these cases believe in 'just doing their jobs'


Walking where you want
Gulliver remembered Tiffany as a brave and fun loving person who would bravely walk in communities which would have been considered dangerous.

Tiffany's aunt also talked about how she got into nuff story because she felt that  Tiffany should  walk wherever she felt like walking.  Delon was taunted several times when he walked home.

I had been nervous about safety for the marchers because this in my mind was the first gay rights march in Georgetown - as it was a march which called for justice for LGBT people. The GTU route was perfect for visibility - Saturday afternoon Georgetown.

A young man had told me that he did not want to get too involved in gay rights because he did not want his mother to put him out. He would not have come to this march. Guyana has a bad history of understanding the right to associate freely.  The right to walk freely too without violence is one which many trans persons do not enjoy.  A citizen put a lighter to the locks of a man I know while shouting 'fyah bun de locks' .  The man was walking minding his own business on Regent Street.

Sirpaul said that the GTU will walk again on Mashramani Day in the parade with others bands and floats.

Training police

There were police officers at the end of the march who took note of the signs. One of them was identified  by some GTU members as helpful when there were police cases. The police man had told me in a previous protest that he read my letters. In gaffing with him after the memorial event, he said that he wished that the police training would include training on LGBT rights. He also said we have to keep using the press and the media to highlight when the police are failing in their duties. He himself could not do anything to change the management of the police.

One of the marchers called the name of another person who is in the lock ups for attacking a police man who had 'wanted back a refund'.


There is another allegation of a police assaulting a man resulting in damage to the man's intestines. A woman talked of being fooled by two police who had damaged her car and who she foolishly thought would be doing the right thing in terms of settling the damages. 

The activism for a professional police force should be done by all sectors of the society. There are some persons who probably thrive in having a police force which is selective in how it investigates crimes.

There is resistance by the Government to have the police reform and change and as a result, the citizens suffer. It is difficult to promote the attitudes like that of the helpful police officer, lest he too become victim to the attitudes which promote the hatred of homosexuals and which resist the transformation of Guyana into a place all persons are treated equally.


Moving towards recognition that anti man rights are human rights..

A survey released in 2013 indicated that 58% of Guyanese were accepting or tolerant of LGBT citizens.  In the media reports around the murders of Tiffany, Delon and Champa it was clear that their families and friends and sections of their community wanted them to live where they were.

Tiffany's aunts walked in the march, and Tiffany's mother was brought in on the phone.  Delon's mourners wore red, black and white at his funeral. Champa's sister lamented the murder of her brother.

This year the parliament should be considering the repeal of the homophobic legislations and no doubt sections of the religious community will be protesting vocally.  These faithful, whose rhetoric drives the agenda of those who 'do not want homosexuals in their community' will be asked to determine the national agenda. No other group of persons faces this kind of onslaught at all levels.  The fear of many homophobes is of the recognition by the 58% and more that LGBT are equally human. Their efforts will no doubt intensify .. silencing not only the LGBT citizens but their family and friends and supporters.

Bashing anti-man..
A man stinking of the previous night's liquor jumped in the bus next to me. He said that he want to rob me because I rich. He then started off 'you know. antiman mek sodam an' gamarahh get wipe aff de face uh de eart'". But dey got dese too antiman hey who like me and does pick me up.
I aint seh nuttin. the man continued "de last time I bash an antiman was when i was in jail"
so I ask.. " you lie man, you sure is not de antiman bash you?"

The man laughed and said "Look ah just buy a battle hey, you wan tek a drink?"

Picture from http://www.stabroeknews.com/2014/media/photos/01/12/relatives-friends/