Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan on Saturday assured that there is no political interference by the APNU+AFC government in the running of the Guyana Police Force so much so that even ministers can be locked up and charged.
Ramjattan declared that the administration “is going to develop a professional police force and modernise it. We are going to give the police force a quality salary, give them the body armour to tackle the serious crimes and better weaponry. Improve the transportation on land and water. More vehicles for them to patrol and also we want to give them the training necessary.”
He told Berbicians that the anti-crime strategies in Berbice are paying off and government has given millions to equip the police which will in turn see a better service.
The minister was at the time speaking to over 500 people who gathered at the Whim Community Centre ground where the Office of the Prime Minister held a community outreach.
“Today you can see and feel that notwithstanding a couple weeks or months ago the (crime) numbers were high but it would all be decreased,” the minister stated. The minister said that the gangs in operation need to understand that the top policemen in the region and across the country mean business this time around. “They have a special comfort level now that the administration is behind them and do not want to cover up any type of fraud or corruption, this government wants all of that to be brought to light,” he said.
The minister announced that they are looking to add more women to the sector. He explained that they would put systems in place for women to be a part of the leadership and to take up leadership positions. “We need more women in high power positions”, he said. Additionally, the Minister of Public Security called on citizens of Guyana to aid police in crime fighting and to be fearless in sharing information.
“Crime not gonna be solved by only policemen. When we ask members of the community, who always griping and groaning that the crime is happening and all of that, for the evidence, for the police statements, the written statements, some of them back down.
“Well if you start backing down and not producing that which will help the police we are not gonna get anywhere”, he said, telling those gathered it is their civic duty to assist law enforcement. He explained to the crowd that if they do not want to be a part of sharing of information they can volunteer to be a part of community policing groups. He also called on Berbice families to encourage their sons and daughters to join the police force.
Addressing, the 2 am curfew for bars and night clubs, Ramjattan said that countries across the world stop the selling of alcohol at a particular time and by enforcing the curfew his ministry is looking to “reshape the culture of this country, it must not be a culture of drinking rum… we want a disciplined society and that is what we will have”, he said.
Also speaking at the outreach was newly-appointed Regional Executive Officer of Region 6, Dr Veerasammy Ramayya and Director of Health in Ber-bice, Jevaughn Stephens. Ramayya pledged to work assiduously to improve the different sectors in Berbice. He challenged himself to transform several degraded community facilities in the region within the next nine months. He also called on fellow Berbicians to work with him to improve the infrastructure in the communities. “Let us join hands to make our environment clean… we need to work to make our environment presentable”.
Meanwhile, Stephens pledged to create avenues to provide better health care systems for senior citizens. He said he would be working to ensure that Region Six becomes a pillar of the health sector with better and easy access to care centres across the region. He also stated that he is committed to reform the mental health sector which has been described as being in a deplorable state.
