Dear Editor,
Albert Einstein once said that politics is more difficult than physics. This is so because physics belong to that group of disciplines which is referred to as the exact sciences. This means that given the right mix of variables, outcomes are predictable with a high degree of precision.
The same cannot be said for politics which belong that generic group of behavioural sciences. Human behaviour is not only unpredictable but at times idiosyncratic, which makes it difficult to accurately measure and forecast.
This is why certain types of social pathologies such as crime and suicide are so difficult to manage by the relevant authorities. Crime and suicide are prevalent in all societies and despite new and modern crime-fighting technologies, they still continue unabated. It must be a matter of concern to the new APNU+AFC administration that crime and suicide rates continue to be alarmingly high. The recent gun amnesty appeared ineffective, even though it may be too soon to see any measurable impact.
Unless brought under control, crime and perceptions of crime can have a negative impact on persons wishing to return to Guyana either as remigrants or on holidays. During a recent visit to the USA, most Guyanese I interacted with view crime as a major challenge to the country’s ability to attract foreigners to the country.
My own view is that an inter-agency body should be established involving local and foreign experts to strategize on how to bring down the crime rate.
Yours faithfully,
Hydar Ally
