Gov’t crime strategy a ‘dog and pony’ show – PPP

July 15, 2015 | By KNews | Filed Under News, Source

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Monday last took a swipe at the security policy of A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC)’s administration, with PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee urging the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan to implement a comprehensive citizen security plan, “as the PPP did while in office”, rather than a “dog and pony” show.

Rohee, a former Minister of Home Affairs (now Ministry of Public Security) took the opportunity during yesterday’s press briefing to also direct his barbs at the media, specifically Stabroek News, for a recent article titled “not Guyanese”, stating that the article served to sugar coat the “failings” of the current administration as it related to its crime fighting strategies.

Rohee also took issue to the article’s description of him as “not so wise”, owing to his criticism of Minister Ramjattan’s decree administering a 02:00AM curfew on all liquor-selling establishments as a way to help in reducing the crime situation.

“Is this the way of describing the hundreds, if not thousands of Guyanese who are opposed to this anti-Guyanese decree? If that is the logic, then the logic of this warped view is that thousands of Guyanese are not that wise. This is an insult to those Guyanese.”

Proclaiming that Ramjattan was “not fit” for the post as Minister of Public Security, Rohee declared his justification in criticizing the Minister.

Rohee, who as Minister of Home Affairs once faced a no confidence motion from the Opposition in 2012, over his perceived mishandling of the Security portfolio, claimed that Minister Ramjattan had never drafted any  comprehensive citizen security plan – something Rohee declared had been done during his tenure in office. He described this security plan as “giving Ramjattan a basket to fetch water.”

“Ramjattan should draft one, consult with the relevant stakeholders, including the National Commission on Law and Order, take it to cabinet for consideration and, if approved, have it published after sending it to law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders for implementation,” Rohee, who served as Minister of Home Affairs from 2006-2011, advised his successor.

According to Rohee, quite the opposite had happened, whereby Ramjattan had instead received a draft from President Granger, to refine and implement.

“He presents one to Ramjattan and instructs him, like a dutiful servant, to go and refine and implement it. We (PPP) look forward to learning whether Ramjattan’s latest proposal for a dog and pony show will find favour with the security experts at the (Ministry of the) presidency.” Rohee said.

Rohee also pointed out that the five components of the security strategy were elements that the previous administration was implementing through the then Ministry of Home Affairs.

The APNU+AFC Administration have since laid out an elaborate plan to halt the spate of current criminal activity. The plan includes increased resources for the police force, to enhance its ground, air and river response capabilities.

Apart from the proposed plans to deal with the situation, Ramjattan has already implemented new measures, including the 2:00am curfew for nightspots and bars, as well as deploying vehicles that were earmarked for Community Policing Groups to the police force to bolster their fleet of patrol vehicles.

Police organization and training is also part of the new strategy.

According to Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Minister Ramjattan has already given an undertaking to have more police ranks on the streets.

Harmon, in commenting on the outcome of a recent emergency security meeting, had indicated that the government has given a clear undertaken to the Guyana Police Force that it will provide the assets to go after criminal activity wherever it exists.

According to Harmon, it means that the police ability to be able to go up in the air, using aircraft and helicopters to actually overlook difficult terrain, will be enhanced.  In addition, the police’s increased capabilities will not only be confined to the land but sea as well, where piracy has been increasingly rampant.

The resuscitation of the Police Marine Wing to give them greater flexibility and greater access to inland waterways is an important feature of the new government’s strategy.

Perhaps the most innovative measure to deal with the rising crime, announced by the Government, is the use of animals.

“The use of horses, of dogs to go after criminals is also going to be part of that strategy,” Harmon had stated. Police communication is also expected to be improved significantly by the use of the internet, and access to close-circuit cameras deployed across the country.