NOT THE TIME TO BE PLAYING GAMES WITH THE COUNTRY’S SECURITY

June 20, 2013, By KNews, Filed Under Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom, Source

A man’s home is his castle. He should be free to enjoy his space without it being invaded by criminals and other unauthorized persons.

Unfortunately, the past few weeks have witnessed some frightening home invasions. At least three such invasions took place in which the perpetrators were armed with guns.

In one case, two young girls were raped. In another, two occupants, including an overseas-based Guyanese was shot and seriously wounded. In another, injuries were sustained.

This is the background against which a $158M training centre was recently opened to ensure that officers of the Guyana Police Force were trained in a conducive environment.

From the pictures of the inside of the building, this looks like an attempt to create an elitist environment for the training of senior members of the Guyana Police Force.

This structure could have been better utilized, for example to house the passport office which is too cramped for the services it offers. It could have also been used for the forensic laboratory for the Guyana Police Force or even to house a special unit to monitor crime patterns in the country, instead of being used as a training facility.

What is wrong with the Felix Austin Training School? Why can officers not be trained in this facility along with other junior ranks? Why in this the 21st century is there still an officers’ mess and another mess or sports club for other junior ranks? This also exists in the army. It should be outlawed.

Training is important but so too is intelligence gathering and good detective work. It is the latter two types of police functions that will hopefully solve the problem of the recent home invasions which have driven fear into the hearts of many law abiding citizens who must be wondering where the next home invasion will take place.

These home invasions have also taken place in the context of yet another petty attempt by the combined parliamentary opposition to not approve security legislation. This basis for this disapproval was the fact that the Bills in question were piloted by the Home Affairs Minister which the combined opposition wants to be the fall guy for the misguided actions of the opposition parties in instigating unlawful protest actions in Linden last year which resulted in the deaths of three individuals.

Despite the minister being exonerated from blame by a regional commission of inquiry, the opposition has childishly insisted on maintaining this petty and vindictive path. They have continued to behave like spoilt children when it comes to the issue of the Home Affairs Minister and have refused to accept any blame for the deaths of the three men.

The history of Guyana has been very instructive when it comes to political problems and crime. The criminals read the political signals and they take advantage of certain problems that arise. As such, it is not unusual for there to be an upsurge in criminal activities whenever there are major political differences, much less when it involves the opposition vetoing security bills.

This is in the context in which these recent home invasions have taken place in. These invasions which, as mentioned, have involved rape are to be deplored and there should be a united call for the government and the opposition to adopt a no- nonsense attitude towards these developments.

Nothing should be done which would convey the idea that there is opposition to the improvement of the Guyana Police Force and to the maintenance of law and order.

There are good men and women on the opposition benches who do not support crime and would wish to see an end to all criminal activities.

They should not allow a petty issue such as who is the person that tables a Bill to stand in the way of helping to protect citizens. Even if it means breaking with a misguided party policy, those who want to see a safe and secure country should vote for measures on the basis of merit, not on the basis of some misguided political decision to make someone a scapegoat for the mistakes of political instigators.