The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has sounded an alarm over ongoing criminal activities across the country, which it says warrants a national consultation.
“In as much as crime is not a new social phenomenon, it is obvious that in recent months it has escalated to a level that, in our view, threatens to destroy the social fabric of our nation,” the trade union umbrella organisation said in a statement issued yesterday, while lamenting what it called the “virtually-daily occurrence of criminal activities” being experienced.
According to police statistics released for the first 11 months of last year, there was an overall 9% increase in serious crimes when compared with the figures for the corresponding period in the preceding year. Serious crimes include murder, armed robbery, robbery with violence, robbery with aggravation, larceny from the person, break and enter and larceny, burglary, rape, and kidnapping.
Amid continuing concerns about crime, the government last month announced that the Joint Services would be conducting a countrywide anti-crime and counter-terrorism operation. The six-month-long exercise, dubbed “Operation Dragnet,” entails increased movement of Joint Services personnel and the conduct of intensified security operations.
FITUG, in its statement, said its expectations that the current administration would effectively contain crime were not being realised and it called on the Public Security Ministry and its supportive agencies to tell the nation whether new initiatives in crime-fighting are being introduced and whether there is a considered programme to enlist and train citizens disposed to actively assist in law-enforcement. On this point, it questioned what is happening to policing groups, on which great efforts and resources were spent. It also noted that it recognises that the interior may require special and specific policing strategies and it expressed the hope that these are being put in place to arrest crimes in such areas.
FITUG said it looks forward to hearing more about a crime fighting master plan and, more importantly, about successes which provide much needed comfort. It added that it feels that the present grave situation warrants a national consultation. “In previous times, such an approach had a positive impact in reducing crime in the country,” it said, while assuring that it stands ready to cooperate in such justifiable activities in crime-fighting based on their overall possibilities and at the level of communities.
“We urge the administration and the relevant personnel to pay serious attention to this vexing crime situation. Really, we expect that the government must meet this new and frightening upsurge in crime,” it added.
