Dear Editor,
In Guyana, criminals are not only killing innocent people, they are also killing the country. A recent report has disclosed that businesses are more hampered by crime and theft than anything else. This is a most startling revelation which has seemingly slipped below the PPP radar as the country grapples with the myriad problems facing it, including the struggling economy, crime and massive corruption.
This was the pronouncement of Leader of the Opposition David Granger who hit the nail on the head when he opined: “If Guyana is to become the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business, then crime must be eliminated and corruption must be aggressively pursued.” The minority PPP regime cannot allow crime to continue to stifle business and put the citizens’ lives in jeopardy because of a few unscrupulous individuals, an unprofessional and corrupt police force and an incompetent Minister of Home Affairs. Crime has and continues to cripple the country and the inept PPP regime does not have the wherewithal to deal with the issue. We call on the PPP administration, especially the pathetic Minister of Home Affairs to activate the systems to catch and punish the criminals and those involved in corruption, whoever they are and wherever they are. It should not matter if they belong to the PPP because bribery and corruption are crimes committed against the state and the people.
But despite the public cry for help against crime, the PPP’s slothful pace in tackling this scourge shows that it is still not a priority for the Minister of Home Affairs. In this context, we do believe that the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Clement Rohee should take more time to discuss and implement workable strategies to arrest crime. And this should not be the stage-managed, face-to-face encounters with glaring cameras and media hounds looking for a soundbite. It should be done in private with no holds barred, because too often ministers, in their ivory towers, are disconnected from the everyday problems facing the poor and the working class. They do not have a clue as to the daily struggles encountered by the masses to feed and house their families.
We believe that Mr Rohee should resign as the Minister of Home Affairs after accepting the position of General Secretary of the PPP because he is not sufficiently competent to handle both positions effectively. Almost every day, someone is killed or wounded by armed bandits in Guyana and most are businessmen or women, or farmers. The recent killing of two police officers and two civilians by a drug addict highlights the need to review how firearm licences are given to citizens and to get illegal weapons off the street.
From the abovementioned utterances from the Leader of APNU, it is clear that there is a consensus about fighting crime and end corruption, so why the pussyfooting from the Minister? Clearly, the answer lies in the incompetence of Mr Rohee and an unprofessional, ineffective and corrupt police force which is stretched to its limits owing to the lack of funds. If Guyana is to succeed in combating crime and reducing corruption, there must be a bipartisan approach from the political parties, bolstered by full and constructive support from civil society, the private sector and the citizens. But herein lies the problem; most crimes are solved by information provided by the people to the police, but a number of crimes have not been solved because the people do not trust the police force enough to give them information.
Minister Rohee, who spoke at length about this problem in his budget speech this year, must now walk the talk and lead from in front with respect to this pressing issue. Circumventing laws or conventional practices will not be enough. What is needed is an end to political interference and a change in the culture in the police force to make it professional, efficient and trustworthy. It is incumbent on Mr Rohee to begin the task of transforming the force now. The nation must hold the Minister accountable for his lack of action to end crime and safeguard the right of every citizen to live without fear in their homes or at their place of business.
Yours faithfully,
Asquith Rose
Harish S Singh
