A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has expressed concern over the increased attacks by bandits on business owners, especially those who conduct their operations in rural communities.
APNU called for action from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Ministry of Home Affairs to restore confidence in the business community and the general public. It said that business owners, potential entrepreneurs and all citizens need to feel a sense of safety and security which it said was sadly lacking in Guyana today.
According to the release, the recently released crime figures, by the GPF which indicated that 472 cases of violent crimes were reported as of June 2013, showed that much more was needed to be done to address what has clearly become a national epidemic of violence.
It said that APNU recently called for the establishment of an Inter-personal Violence Unit. APNU renewed this call for such a unit and reiterated its lack of confidence in the leadership of Clement Rohee as Minister responsible for public safety.
APNU was of the opinion that enough was not being done to fight crime comprehensively and said that evidence has shown that Community Policing Groups as presently configured and tasked countrywide could not solve the crime problem. It said that members of the Guyana Police Force at all levels should be given the leadership, equipment and relevant training, so that they could meet their mandate of service and protection.
APNU called for action by all responsible parties to secure a reversal of the trend of armed robberies and violence against persons. It further called on the government to give the security sector the leadership it needed to ensure that all Guyanese can be safe, secure and can attain the good life to which they are entitled, the release added.
