Dear Editor,
Arson targeting government buildings seems to be an affliction confronting the PPP government. A number of government buildings have evaporated in flames over the years under the government’s watch. It is patently obvious that there are criminals out there intent on destroying public property that is vital to the nation for whatever filthy and demented reasons. However, a government also has a mandate to protect and secure vital public resources and property, particularly when such property has been subject to attacks and threats in the past to the full knowledge and awareness of the government.
This is not a novel problem for the government. Yet it has palpably failed to implement action plans to prevent arsonists from attacking; minimize such attacks and render these government buildings more fire-proof and resistant; and adopt tighter security measures.
In fact, the exposure of the government’s slack security in the wake of the spate of arson against government property is also a passe-partout to the bigger problem of a failed national security strategy. There is no evidence of an extraordinary response protocol developed specifically for this recurring problem and its burdensome cost to the people of Guyana.
Dr Ramsammy reportedly admitted at the scene that security was a critical issue. The government is in a position to marshal and has at its disposal the resources to properly confront and defend against the problem of arson. However, it has failed to provide sufficient security and protection of our public resources and must take some of the blame on this particular issue.
Poor security provides opportunities to those who seek to destroy the hard work of the people of this nation. It is time to develop a concrete security plan for public buildings and for the entire country. The destruction of these buildings comes at a high cost as government must find or borrow the resources to rebuild them. The entire exercise of rebuilding after this loss enlarges the cost to the public. There is no reason why taxpayers must bear the burden of reconstruction of these historical buildings at exorbitant cost. Protect the darn buildings and save the Guyanese people the worry about reconstruction tenders and foreign debt borrowings in the middle of a global recession!
Yours faithfully,
Michael Maxwell
