Dear Editor,
The appalling crime rate on inland waters has prompted the government to make profound changes by commissioning the MB Tamakay, which has brought some relief to communities but did not allay the concerns of Mazaruni businesses.
I am certain that those at the helm of the Guyana Police Force and the Head of the E & F Division are well aware of Tamakay settlement, which is without a police outpost. There have been armed robberies and other attacks carried out on the business community there and its neighbours Apaiqua and Isseneru, which are about one-and-a-half hours away from the nearest police station located at Enachu, an isolated mining settlement. Enachu was once a bustling economic centre for miners in the 1970s and 1980s and also had health and others facilities. These are no longer in operation and the community is now a ghost town with about 7 persons residing there including the police officers.
Editor, many concerns have been raised before by members of the business community and the Isseneru residents about the location of the police station and the ability of its officers to respond to armed robberies and other crimes. These include:
(1) There is no form of river transportation owned by the police to respond promptly to crime scenes. They depend on the jetboat and other private transportation.
(2) There is no proper communication system in place, therefore valuable time is lost when seeking to apprehend criminals and dealing with matters.
(3) The police cannot always act because of a shortage of officers at the station when others go on patrol or are performing other duties.
(4) Police officers incur very high expenses on patrol duty; their salaries are low and the cost of living in the Mazaruni is high.
Editor, I am certain that the recently commissioned MB Tamakay will serve its purpose, but one thing is for sure, the settlement of Tamakay and its neighbours will face the impact of crime if the relevant authorities do not address the security concerns of these communities which remain vulnerable to criminal activities.
Yours faithfully,
Dwight Larson
Isseneru Village
