Executives of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) yesterday met with US Ambassador, Sarah-Ann Lynch and other officials at the US Embassy, on Duke Street, where discussions were held on crime and security issues.
A release from GCCI said that the gathering spoke on how the local business environment and investment opportunities in Guyana are being affected by Guyana’s security situation, particularly in light of the US Department of State issuing a Level 3 Travel Advisory against Guyana in July warning its citizens to “reconsider travel to Guyana due to crime”.
GCCI President Kester Hutson, Senior Vice President Richard Rambarran and Secretary Kathy Smith represented the Chamber, while the Ambassador was joined by US Embassy Regional Security Officer, Mayan Shih, Senior Security Investigator, Lennox Alleyne and Economic/Commercial Officer, Thomas Seeger.
The release said that Ambassador Lynch commended the GCCI on its recent statement issued earlier this month on the crime situation in Guyana, noting that it is important to hold the Guyana Police Force (GPF) accountable, in order to stimulate continuous improvement in the Force. Lynch also applauded the Chamber for being proactive in data gathering and pushing for improvement in the country’s security situation given that a welcoming country is critical for investors, the release added.
On August 4th, the GCCI said it had noted with intense concern the level of crime being perpetrated in Guyana, more particularly, in recent times.
“Whilst the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has posited that their official crime statistics indicate a decline in crime, the GCCI views this as not reflecting the reality of the prevailing circumstances. Rather, and alarmingly so, the GCCI views the decline in official statistics as demonstrative of a loss in confidence in the GPF and reflective of an underreporting in criminal perpetration”, the Chamber said.
The Chamber of Commerce called on the police force to adjust its lax posture on crime and, echoed the sentiments recently expressed by the Minister of Home Affairs, to clamp down on the lawless malaise existing in daily life. Lawlessness creates the conditions under which crime flourishes, the GCCI said.
“The GCCI remains extremely concerned that should criminal acts continue unabated, that a conducive environment for doing business in Guyana will begin to erode and loss or bodily harm of Guyana’s most valuable resource – its people – will be damaging to our prospects for economic development”, the business body said.
