Cops under pressure, crime rising, but Rohee looking for birth certificates – APNU

By Abena Rockcliffe

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is convinced that the Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, who is also

Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee

General Secretary and Elections Campaign Manager of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), has too much on his plate and is, as a result, not effectively carrying out his public servant duties.
This view was reflected by APNU Leader David Granger and the coalition’s Shadow Minister of Home Affairs, Winston Felix.
During separate interviews, the two officials said that Rohee’s division of himself has left the public holding the less attractive end of the stick. This was said as they addressed the fact that there has been a spate of murders in recent days.
Granger told the media that while Rohee, the Minister responsible for the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is busy “running around looking for birth certificates” a number of Guyanese citizens are being killed.
Felix, on the other hand, said that over the past few weeks he has been listening to Rohee’s “ramblings” each time he hosts PPP’s press conferences, but has noticed that the Minister doesn’t pay as much attention to his Ministerial portfolio as he does to his Party duties.
The Former Top Cop told the media that Rohee has instead been putting all his time and energy towards picking on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the political parties.
Felix pointed out that Rohee “became extremely ridiculous by suggesting that if Granger doesn’t want to see the misuse of state funds he should give up his constitutionally-provided facilities.”
The Member of Parliament rubbished that comment and said that Rohee, being paid as Minister of Home Affairs, is a complete waste of taxpayers’ money as “while he is wasting time being the ‘other GECOM Chairman’ we have people being murdered.”
Felix was at the time referring to the fact that on Tuesday, the media reported on two different murders and a case where a Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo family was forced to abort their home as a result of high crime in the area.
The APNU MP said that all the while, “Rohee is absent from duty.”
He pointed out that the Minister made no public statement to comfort the Guyanese people neither did he have a meeting

APNU Leader, Brigadier David Granger

with the acting Top Cop to see how best the situation can be addressed.
Felix, a former Police Commissioner, said that he has been able to point out that the Police Force is under tremendous pressure and that there is a manpower problem. He said that this is obvious since there have been a reduced amount of ranks deployed for the Christmas campaign as compared to previous years.
He said that a strategy must be put in place to attract recruits and these are things that the Minister needs to focus on.  “He has to decide which one he is better performing,” said Felix.
The Shadow Minister then called on Rohee to address sensible policies to protect the interests of the Guyanese public.
“The public wants to be protected by Police who are trained to patrol, investigate, solve crimes and yet interact with them in a friendly and intelligent manner…We demand a higher standard of operation from the Minister.”
Felix suggested that Rohee should just step down and focus on his campaign if he knows he cannot manage all his portfolios effectively.