An F Grade for Rohee and the Police
Dear Editor,
Guyanese talk about crime now to the point where it is almost clichÉd. They have a sense that the large group of uneducated, poorly socialized, unemployed and unemployable male youths mean that there is a ready cohort susceptible to the dark side, and the PPP regime and the private sector need to do something about it.
On the crime-fighting side, we understand that, through no fault of the people, most of whom are honest and hard-working, are being killed by bandits because the police force lacks the capacity to effectively rise to the challenge and fight crime. For the past seven months, Guyana has seen an increase of 34 per cent in murder and armed robbery for which we gave the Minister of Home Affairs and the police an “F” grade. Yes the incompetent Minister of Home Affairs and the police force have failed to protect the people.
We recognize, too, that the Minister is ambiguous in his approach to solving crime. He sounds good at news conferences. He sounds like he is on the ball. But the truth is, he is totally disconnected from the real situation at the street level. He is dealing with crime/national security purely as an intellectual exercise, not as something that is devastating the lives of people every day and choking the economic prospects of Guyana. Reports of crime have scared tourists and visitors away from Guyana. Guyanese living abroad are scared to return home to live for fear of crime. Furthermore, crimes and the related problem of corruption continue to put brakes on Guyana’s economic potential. The Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal does not have a strategy to fight crime or corruption and as such is unable to lure people to visit and invest in Guyana.
Mr. Rohee has not demonstrated any passion or will, and does not have the problem-solving skills to fight crime, because he and his PPP cronies have not felt the pain, suffering and the devastation that crime has cause the nation. They have shown no signs of outrage, resolve or urgency to deal with the problem. People are stuck in panic mode. They are reporting about a crime every day. They are seeking assistance from the police every day. We want the government to know that every time a crime is committed and the culprits are not caught, it weakens the entire fabric of the society and drives fear into the minds of the people. To end this scourge on society, the police must act promptly and appropriately.
The constant complaint from the public is that the police have failed to respond to crimes in a timely manner. The would-be criminals know that the police will show up half hour after a crime is committed and is a powerful incentive. The minister and his in-operational, dysfunctional and poorly managed police force do not even realize that the most sacrosanct of all rights is that of life.
We firmly believe that to bring crime to an acceptable level in the country will take more resources than those currently available to the police. This view, incidentally, supports the contention that the minister who is in charge should be held accountable. Criticism of him is therefore inescapable and the DO-NOTHING president should demand his resignation.
Derrick Arjune
Asha Balbachan
Rohit Misir
Harish Singh
Chandra Deolall
Asquith Rose
Vincent Nauth
Sase Singh
Allison Rutherford
Devita Khan
Dr. Reginald Watkins
Donna Mathoo
Noel Moses
Vicki Rampersaud
