I suppose, nay I know, that it is easy for me to sit at a desk and offer commentary and advisories to victims or would- be victims of crime.
Unless you are a trained, hardened and fearless operative, it’s no simple matter to have cutlasses and guns at your head and also pointed to those you love, including babies and small children. Especially, if you are a simple, law-abiding citizen who loves and values life much more than any criminal bandit does. (They too lay their evil lives on the line, only for criminal purposes however.)
Never-the-less, as I read newspaper accounts, especially, of the hair- raising, chilling episodes of robbery of citizens in their humble homes and business –places, I feel constrained to offer again, these thoughts, personal advisories and even suggestions to the police (authorities). Regretting that the newspapers no longer carry my reader-friendly crime watch Guyana series.
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Criminal Minds, Community Response
Let’s be as simple as possible with some basics, in the whole context of criminality against citizens within the confines – no longer safety – of their homes and small places of business.
How do the thieves and gangs think? Of course, they observe over a period of time sometimes. They look for victims’ routines, habits, weak –points, as well as vulnerable or helpful relatives or employees. So how should you guard against that?
Professional career crooks also study the police stations, security services or arrangements in the section of town or in the village.
The bandits plan their attack entrances and escape routes and getaway procedures. Naturally they secure their transportation well in advance. So what should be the family or community/collective response?
No one can ask a humble human-being to aggressively confront blood thirsty thieves armed with glocks or AK-47’s. That’s why I tend to consider community-protective issues here.
Yes, one does what one could to protect one’s home – the doors and windows with the compulsory grills, the guard dogs, the security lights, even surveillance cameras, hired security guards. But wait! Who, or which category can afford all of the fore-going? Obviously, not the seamstress or cane-cutter, the shop–keeper or vendor. Therefore there must be community collective responsibilities and strategies.
Start simply! The whole street or block in the village must co-operate. Cell-phones, fences, private/secret codes to notify and mobilise when strange bandits arrive. Besides policing groups, business-people must assist “every little police station and outpost” with lamps, transportation, batteries, intelligence and even “scrutiny.” My point is it really “takes a village” to ensure collective protection and security. Because all the Master Plans and consultations won’t help the victim family at eleven-thirty at night, if the Police can’t respond promptly. Or if school-boy bandits assist adults thieves or if opposition politicians and supporters don’t view crime as a–political. Or (especially) if our formal protective forces never develop a national strategy to capture illegal firearms.
And, once more, I suggest to police and community: profile your community! List and map out your village, all yards, compounds, business-places, back-dams and sea-shores, derelict vehicles and abandoned buildings. Every station, every policing group these days can “sub-up” to use the GPS devices to identify places and people.
Then, can’t the NDC, the village businesses and residents raise funds and clear bush and provide needed lighting one Sunday per month? You get my simple workable drift? Now discuss. And do!
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Two Ministers, One Mini-Bus
An enterprising young newspaper reporter arranged for Reverend Roy and Government Minister Tom to travel in a mini-bus, from Georgetown to Good Hope.
Like the female magistrate who had done a “Stabroek- South” journey years ago, the two different Ministers were not recognised by the passengers on their East Coast (Dem) trip.
The Reverend gentleman tried to admonish both conductor and driver – and young passengers.
He soon resorted to all he was left with – prayer. The government minister shuddered at the general atmosphere in the bus. He had not used public transportation for years since the acquisition of his subsidised Prado.
The government minister said not a word to the travellers on the mini-bus. He felt it to be useless. But he did relate his experiences and conclusions to cabinet. I’ll not use this space to repeat his wide-ranging outrage and recommendations.
Except the “Fenty-Two” he suggested to Minister Rohee. The two? That besides the driver and conductor, all passengers be charged when (a) a bus is overloaded or (b) when a bus is exceeding the speed limit. Drastic situations demand drastic remedies. Fines for passengers in errant buses will galvanise them to assert themselves and their rights. The more matured passengers, I hope.
Ponder…
1) Thanks to those who commented on last Friday’s piece on the “browns” owning the land. I was asked this: Could some list of those who got lands along the Soesdyke- Linden Highway, within the last decade, be made known? More than 10 acres each.
2) Lovely piece on the hereafter this Sunday Dr. Ian.
3) The man battered his wife, attempted to drown her, made her eat mud, then succeeded in killing her.
He was then afforded a trial within our justice system. That’s how civilised we are.
4) The appointment of honourable Kellawan Lall as our ambassador to Brasilia set me thinking. Our diplomatic reps abroad are so interesting. Udho replaced Karsanjee in Paramaribo. Hon Nawbatt replaced his Excellency Singh.
We must applaud all of our Indo- Guyanese Diplomats around the globe. But guess who is our rep in beloved South Africa!?
5) Is there any columnist amongst us who dares to be critical, of candidate Ramotar?
Til next week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
