By Jomo Paul
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Former President Donald Ramotar says he is pleased that President David Granger and the APNU+AFC administration have decided to implement Operation Dragnet.
This is after an initial suggestion by Ramotar for the government to make use of the army during the festive season was rejected by President Granger.
“During the PPP/C period in Office, the Army was called out to do joint patrols with the police in times of heightened criminal activities that worked well. During the holiday season, the PPP/C administration had a programme where the army and police had joint patrols between November 15 to January 15 to minimize the crimes in the country,” said Ramotar in a social media post.
To this suggestion, the sitting President responded that “Mr Ramotar as a former Head of State should not comment on current political activities. As Commander – in – Chief, as Minister of Defence – I have given instruction to the Army…I think the best thing would be for Mr Ramotar not to interfere in the way the Guyana Defence Force is being administered.”
However, after rejecting Ramotar’s suggestion, the government announced the launch of Operation Dragnet, which is a joint operation between the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force.
Ramotar during an interview with iNews on Tuesday, December 08, took no umbrage to the President’s remarks saying that Operation Dragnet is “better late than never.”
“I am very happy that they decided to do the joint service patrol – even though they had rejected my first appeal to them. It is better late than never,” said the former President.
Ramotar, who sat in the highest office in the land for three years, expressed surprise at Mr Granger’s initial comments given that the President was a member of the Discipline Services Commission (DSC).
“I am very surprised that President Granger had rejected my call because he sat on the Discipline Services Commission and the report of the DSC spoke about the army coming out to assist the police in heightened crime situations and so forth,” he said.
Ramotar further noted, “Whatever they might want to say as regards to statistics, it is very clear that we have a heightened crime situation in the country – particularly now coming to Christmas time; citizens deserve to feel safe.”
Operation Dragnet commenced on December 01 and would see extensive patrolling from the joint services. It will conclude in June 2016. The operation has already begun to yield results with an off duty GDF rank being arrested along with a few others in a car with high powered weaponry.
The man is nearly seventy years old. Senility starts to creep in at that age..We need young, smart and vibrant leaders who have a better understanding of today’s world and the vision to move things forward. Look the the age of the leaders of USA and Canada…
And if the PPP were still in power Operation Dragnet would never have seen the light of day
Not necessarily Brunswick and even if they were all Granger had to do is simply acknowledged the Ex-President recommendation(s) but simply present his own at the time awareness surfaced. Granger reaction was defensive. To put it bluntly, Granger sounded like a dictator not a President who wants to listen.
You sound like a King Kong without any brains.You sound like the racist you are.It was not Burnham who talked about Apaan Jaat.You may never remember that.West Dem,you might as well stay there.
Ramotar had an opportunity to make a difference to tackle the crime situation in this country Guyana when he was president,but criminality was encouraged by him,when a NCN employee,it is alleged,illegally took over $3M dollars and no action was taken by him.President Granger`s Operation Dragnet is a contrast to what he had suggested,after all,the present President has been in the Security business for years.Hypocrisy must be a thing of the past.
West Dem, plans such as these don`t turn up over-night or done on a cigarette packet. There is careful planning involve. so dragnet would have been in the pipeline months before Ramotar opened his mouth. To be honest he may have known about it and is only trying to gain leverage over the government by calling for such actions. Politics.
The APNU+AFC GOVERNMENT talk about a government of national unity /inclusionary government.Yet still, when Mr. Donald Ramotar made the vital suggestion about the Army to be involved in assisting the Police Force in fighting crime, THE PRESIDENT ,DAVID GRANGER rejected the suggestion/recommendation.Now the same suggestion/recommendation that GRANGER rejected is being implemented. This tends to show that the talk about a government of national unity/inclusionary government is just a window dressing.
I suspect that there will be no Presidential Back-Balling with the female troops this Christmas.
Absolutely King Kong. Granger feels empowered due to his two Vice-Presidents (Naga & Jattan) standing beside him however everything has an end. While on the campaign trail he promised to be a Good President who will listen to the people. The Ex-President has a right to offered suggestions however it is not correct for the Sitting President to blatantly reject them. Is Granger afraid to admit that he listened to this call from the Ex-President?????
I have given instruction to the Army…I think the best thing would be for Mr Ramotar not to interfere in the way the Guyana Defence Force is being administered.”This is the Granger of the Burnham days, he thinks he knows it all .All this man has changed is his clothing he still remains the bully I know .Ramotar is indian and Granger hates that.