Dear Editor,
There continues to be a very reluctant approach by some individuals, companies and establishments to employing adequate security measures to secure their personal assets and those of their customers and trustees. One is left to ponder the rationale of any person, persons or company behind a decision to leave unarmed guards to provide guard services to a building or facility which houses millions in cash and other valuables, backed up by little or no proper security or alternative security mechanism.
My letter today was influenced by the robbery which took place at a building along Regent Street, Georgetown which houses two separate entities and from which masked gunmen carted off millions in cash and several weapons in the process before shooting out the security cameras and tying up the two security guards.
Such a reckless approach to the notion of security endangers the lives of persons providing unarmed security to buildings such as the one which was robbed on Wednesday morning.
I recall meetings which were held by the Guyana Police Force with business operators, especially in central Georgetown where mechanisms were explored to enhance the physical security of their establishments. Those meetings saw follow-ups and subsequent visits by the senior police officers who advised proprietors on how their existing physical security could be enhanced.
I also recall the idea being floated for there to be a centrally located inter-connective system where businesses along the main commercial areas can erect surveillance cameras at their premises and those images and footage would feed into the central server which would be monitored by both the police and members of the business community.
As to where those discussions are at this time remains unknown to me, but it is my view that had that approach been adopted collectively and moves made to implement same, the instances of robberies committed on business places would have been reduced.
The implementation of the system if still on the table will attract a price tag for it to become operational, as was discussed by the police and members of the business community. To my mind that should not be much of a burden to the business folks, considering their losses recently in what I consider to be well-organized periodic heists.
I think it is time for those discussions to once again be brought to the fore between the business community and police, not only in Georgetown but all other regions where many economic activities occur on a daily basis.
Finally there should be standard codes of conduct by security services and persons who employ security guards to ensure that the level of security they employ is adequate for the assets and resources they seek to have guarded. No security guard should be left to guard a building with only a flashlight, a piece of stick and/or a cutlass when behind the walls of those buildings lie resources and valuables carrying the worth of places like the Haven Co and Cheyenne Mountain. It is ridiculous and needs to be addressed at the highest level.
Yours faithfully,
Leroy Smith
