New Police Commander of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), Superintendent Raphael Rose says while there has been no reported murder in the region for the year so far, there has been an increase in sexual offences and trafficking in persons cases.
Rose made this disclosure during his appearance on Tuesday on the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) weekly ‘Police and You’ radio programme.
Providing statistics, Rose said that other than simple larceny where there was one reported case last year when compared to six for the same period this year, there has also been an increase in sexual offences.
For the year so far, he noted that the region has received 10 reports of sexual offences cases.
These offences, according to Rose were allegedly mainly committed by the family members.
In an effort to address the issue, he said law enforcement officials in the region have embarked on a sensitization exercise.
“The feedback is that they didn’t had much knowledge about it. So we would have commenced that work in terms of eradicating …sexual offences which is prevalent in the region,” he said.
Rose said the police will be working with the Child Protection Agency but pointed out the need for more resources to accomplish the goal.
“….We need more, like the child protection agency more equipped in terms of transportation and areas where they can house victims that have been affected because in most cases the victim has to remain in the same house with the father other than if the police steps in,” he said.
Among the other areas that are being addressed are traffic, trafficking in persons and the enforcement of the COVID-19 guidelines.
Rose said that there have been a number of incidents whereby persons are intercepted and upon being processed found to be illegal here.
He said that as of recent, there has been a large influx of foreign nationals including Haitians, Cubans and Nigerians, who were “turned back” after they tried to enter Lethem.
“So all and all the police on the alert, high alert for persons who are trying to beat the border and enter into Lethem or trying to leave Lethem coming to Georgetown,” he said.
Additionally, Rose noted that presently that are several investigations which are underway in relation to persons who were caught trying to transport persons to Lethem.
Rose explained that the country’s land borders are currently closed in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trading, he said is only allowed to take place on one day.
Apart from that, he said there is 24-hour joint security enforcement by the police and members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on the Takutu bridge. “Which we would turn persons back who try to enter Guyana based on the lockdown rules,” he noted.
He further explained that there are other areas which are “jungles” in the St. Ignatius area which the police are aware traffickers use to smuggle persons into the country. “We would do routine patrols. We ask the public to share any information on persons who would be coming over because the police cannot be all the way along those areas,” Ross stated.
In the nights, he said the police would have mounted patrols.
According to Rose, foreign nationals, particularly Brazilians are often seen in Lethem, where they would have likely entered illegally.
Upon being noticed, he said they are arrested and processed. “We take them to immigration to ascertain whether they are in Guyana legally or illegally,” he said.
Once checks confirmed that individuals entered illegally, Ross said they are handed over to authorities in Brazil.
In terms of other foreign nationals, he said there are three check points; at Annai, Yupukari and Cork-wood. “These checkpoints would screen all the transportations coming to Lethem to see if persons are trying to come through the road and we would do likewise, turn them back on the way,” Rose added.
