The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) yesterday said it was “alarmed and unsettled” at the number of robberies targeting city businesses and businesspersons and urged the police force to dedicate additional resources as part of a strong response.
“We are calling upon the Guyana Police Force to respond to this threat vigorously and effectively by implementing measures to apprehend those perpetrating these heinous crimes and moreover, dedicate additional security resources towards business to prevent robberies from occurring and respond promptly when crimes are reported,” the GCCI said in a press release.
It warned that the failure of the police to respond effectively would only embolden criminal thugs to intensify their assault on businesses.
In the meantime, the Chamber announced plans to issue security advisories for the business community and to hold a security seminar.
It urged businesses to take steps to ensure that they have adequate security infrastructure and procedures in place to reduce the likelihood of their businesses being targeted. Further, it is encouraging businesses to make use of private security services when transporting huge sums of cash and for advisory services on the design and implementation of an effective security system and strategy.
The Chamber will be hosting a security seminar for the business community next month in response to the situation. The objective of the August 13 seminar is to sensitise the private sector on strategies and best practices on securing and protecting their businesses. It also said it was hopeful that the Guyana Police Force could participate in order to share its strategy for addressing the recent upsurge in armed and violent criminal acts against businesses.
