The Commonwealth Secre-tariat and Commonwealth countries are ready to assist Guyana in improving security here following the massacre of 23 citizens in two separate attacks in less than three weeks.
Speaking with Stabroek News on Friday evening at Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel, Director of the Political Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Matthew Neuhaus said that it was important that they visited Guyana on hearing of the second spate of attacks by gunmen to find out in what way the Commonwealth could assist Guyana.
Neuhaus, who was accompanied by Political Advisor in the Political Affairs Division Juliet Solomon, met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally and conveyed to the government and people of Guyana the Commonwealth Secretariat’s condolences on the recent attacks.
He noted the Common-wealth’s readiness to assist including the immediate response by Trinidad and Tobago and the British-funded Security Sector Reform Action Programme in the medium and long-term.
In addition, he assured Insanally that the Commonwealth Secretariat could assist Guyana in the security sector in the broadest possible way with the resources available within the Commonwealth spectrum. He gave the example of T&T’s assistance to aid in tracking down the gunmen in the aftermath of the Bartica massacre.
Neuhaus also met with acting Commissioner of Police Henry Greene, Leader of the Opposition Robert Corbin, and some representatives of civil society who briefed them on the situation as they viewed it in their areas of responsibility.
Neuhaus said that they were also briefed on the current tasks of the police force and the disciplined services in general and the government’s programme as it relates to the reform of the judiciary.
Noting that Greene in his briefing was frank in his assessment that the task ahead was not going to be easy and outlined some of the challenges the police now face, Neuhaus said that the Commonwealth Secretariat would be following up on the discussions with the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Neuhaus and Solomon, who arrived in Guyana late Tuesday night and left yesterday morning, were in Trinidad and Tobago and about to depart for London, England when they learnt of the attack on Bartica. They then diverted to Guyana, which apart from being a Commonwealth country, is also the headquarters of the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) Caribbean office. They were concerned about the safety of the CYP staff and the needed to encourage them to continue their tasks at this particular time.
The two were in T&T to look at logistical planning and the facilities to be used in advance of the twin-island republic hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting next year.
