Executive member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix has defended his government’s record on crime declaring that the party takes “pride in the efforts that government has made to rid Guyana of corruption and bribery.”
“Serious crime has been reduced from over 3,600 incidents in 2014 to just under 2,700 incidents in 2018, a decrease of 25%. The Guyana Police Force has been expanded and given the resources and training they need to fight crime. Unlike under the PPP/C, today crimes are being solved. Specialist police units have been established to fight organized criminal gangs that once controlled our country. Due to these initiatives, there has been a 25% drop in murders from 149 to 111; a drop in reported rapes, burglary and breaking and entering,” Felix told a press conference at Congress Place yesterday.
According to the former Commissioner of Police during the between the years 2000 and 2008 the security sector was so damaged that it is still recovering. Felix led the force for two years, 2004 to 2006.
He drew attention to the thousands of street lights and the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras that have been installed all across Guyana, under the APNU+AFC claiming that in many regions, the installation of street lights has caused a reduction in petty crimes.
“Residents across 7 constituencies in the East Berbice-Corentyne Region are no longer afraid to venture out at night, thanks to the newly installed street lights,” Felix stating, adding that government’s rapid progress on countering corruption has been recognised internationally, with Guyana highlighted as one of the biggest improvers on the Transparency Internat-ional’s corruption index.
Guyana has seen a 27.5% improvement in its ranking.
Further, the Minister credited the recently established National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA) with the increase in narcotics seizures specifically the confiscation of over 800 kg of cocaine, 65,000 kg of cannabis and 1,900kg of heroin in 2017 and 2018.
“Guyanese authorities initiated 503 prosecutions and convicted 227 individuals for narcotics trafficking during the same period,” he stressed.
Felix however acknowledged that no “big fish” has been convicted during the tenure of the coalition.
“That continues to be a work in progress. In no country the big fish is caught just like that. It calls for intensive work because of the manner in which big fishes are protected and organized,” Felix argued.
He stressed that law enforcement agencies will address this issue utilizing intelligence gathering, utilizing technology.
“I am sure that one of these days we will put before the courts someone you would describe as a big fish,” he concluded.
