* Berbice businessmen slam Govt for ‘failing miserably’ to protect citizens
“Government seems powerless, ineffectual, and out of their league in fighting crime,” according a blistering statement from businessmen in Berbice.
The statement this afternoon from the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC), in conjunction with the Berbice Chamber of Commerce, accused President David Granger and his APNU/AFC coalition government of “failing miserably” to provide security and protection for the Guyanese people.
“It is extremely disappointing as the coalition (APNU/AFC) campaigned very strongly on this issue and we were all optimistic with all the military, ex-commissioner and other ‘experts’ at their disposal and now we have a situation in Berbice that is far worse than we have ever experienced,” the businessmen charged.
“Everyone seems to be a sitting duck, as it seems every day a business is held up and residents beaten and robbed in their homes. This, coupled with the depressed business environment, makes it exceedingly burdensome for businesses and ordinary citizens to cope,” the businessmen said in their statement.
They also bluntly declared that “President Granger and the government has miserably failed the people of this country to provide protection and security.”
“We need the commissioner, divisional commanders and their deputies to urgently put strategies in place and monitor every single police station and outpost in the country to ensure that preventative strategies are put in place, and intelligence gathered and acted upon. The only exception to the above is the performance of the Crime Chief who has to be commended for his successes.”
The CCCC said the Government’s policy on crime needs a serious overhaul. “The government appears weak, soft and sympathetic to criminals, contrast this with the late Presidents’ Hoyte’s no-nonsense and aggressive approach to the ‘kick down the door bandits’ in the eighties, President Granger being a historian should go back and study and implement the strategies used by President Hoyte, who on assuming office in the eighties quickly brought the crime spree under control,” the CCCC posited.
It noted that instead of giving full support and trying to motivate the police, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan started his reign in “a very high-handed and arrogant manner”, by fighting with and demoralising the police.
“Publicly chiding them for damaged vehicles, threatening to charge them for murder in shooting incidents, and then having to fund their own defense. Now the police are so uncertain and scared to shoot that recently a police was almost killed by a bandit in Rose Hall in the presence of their armed colleagues. Taken in context with President Granger’s insistence on pardoning criminals, it is no surprise that gun crimes have spiraled out of control. Bandits have become more emboldened by the Government’s approach,” the businessmen argued.
“The present security minister, who we strongly believe, will not be able to support and motivate the force is too busy preparing for the jubilee celebrations than meet with the chamber, at our request to discuss the present situation (see letter below). He wants us to do his work for him. We must document what we feel he should do in the present situation and send it to him, instead of his coming to us to hear what we have to say and see if any of it can be implemented. Since we have to wait over one month to get a meeting with The Minister, let the public be the judge of his Priorities,” the CCCC stated.
It noted that at a meeting yesterday afternoon (April 27, 2016) with Members of the Central Corentyne and the Berbice Chambers, “members expressed great disappointment and anger with Minister Ramjattan’s emphasis on Guyana’s jubilee celebrations rather than on his portfolio”.
“Members felt insulted by his reply to the chamber seeking a meeting on crime as it appears that the daily held up businesses, residents beaten and terrorised in their homes have become the new norm and it is business as usual for him and he seems unaware of the ‘prevailing’ crime situation in Berbice,” the businessmen lamented.
“During the meeting, the following matters were discussed but we felt, since Mr Ramjattan is too busy to reach with us, he can read it in the press.”
ISSUES:
1. What is the Minister’s plan for crime, if he has one?
- Is the Honourable Minister unaware of the crime situation in Berbice?
3. What are the specifics of that plan in relation to Berbice?
4. Low morale and loss of confidence in the Police force. - The Police are afraid or unwilling to shoot at, or engage bandits in armed confrontations
even when the lives of their fellow officers are in peril.
6. Lack of employment especially among the youths.
7. Lots of drug houses.SUGGESTIONS:1. Quick response teams to be located in Berbice
2. Permanent SWAT teams in Berbice
3. Government unconditional support for our Policemen and Women
4. Increase in salary
5. Pay salaries on time
6. Increase police patrol
7. Rose Hall Town police outpost should be converted to a police station
9. Police need more man-power and vehicles
10. More training and Education for the Guyana Police Force
11. Explore the possibility of CCTV cameras
12. Duty-free concession for security equipment.
Following is the reply from Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan to the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce:
- Ministry of Public Security <[email protected]>
- Apr 22 at 9:09 AM
To
Dear Ms. Welcome,
Could you kindly seek from the Chamber’s members what specific matters about the “prevailing” crime situation in Berbice” they are intimating here. If they could identify same I certainly will be on a better position to address and answer their concerns.
Additionally, I would like them to put forward some suggestions of their own to meet these exact concerns.
I am going to be available only after the Jubilee Celebrations to meet them. I am extremely busy at this time as you know. I hope you appreciate my unavailability.
Regards,
Khemraj Ramjattan
Vice President and Minister of Public Security
TWO KNUCKLE HEADS–THATS WHAT THESE PPL ARE,DUMD AND DUMBER TAKE YOUR PICK..
Have to agree with DK. Does the present administration have any idea where Guyana is heading? Don’t be sympathetic to criminals. The reason they have jail is to put them away so they can’t do the same thing again. This crime will destabilise the economy and put a halt to all foreign and local investment. A country that doesn’t have a vibrant security will never have a stable economy. The government should make it very easy for everyone to own a gun of their choice so they not helpless . Everyone have the right to defend themselves and their property under international law. The time has come when we realized that no matter what Administration run Guyana the crime situation will not change. Let’s start with privatization of all the high position in the Police Force, and let’s give everyone the right to protect themselves. It’s a shame that we can’t eradicate crime in Guyana that have a population of only 700000 people. Everyone needs to own a gun of their choice to protect themselves and family, and property. Also needs to make a law where one have the right to protect their neighbour also.
Guyana is breeding to death every day since the PNC take office o my people is this what you voted for.
THIS IS NOT CHANGE THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF THE BURNHAM ERA REMEMBER ONE OF BURNHAM DISCIPLE IS AT THE HEM NOW..
This is the GOOD LIFE promised by AFC/APNU. Indeed it’s good life for the criminals as they rampage, pillage, murder, rob, maim and create havoc across the country. No part of the country is safe. Crime affects citizens from the ”Rupununi to the Corentyne, from green heart forest to the Atlantic Ocean”, this land is not safe for you and me anymore. This is the land for the criminals.
So our Security Chief wants to know what crime situation the people talking about,if he could stay sober for a few minutes he will know what crime we are talking about,this idiot lives in another world.
Are u for real mr ramjattan? Just cant believe that is your response to a situation that needs urgent attention.
It is sad indeed for us Guyanese, everyone is asking the question ‘who next’?
Certainly have to be our brothers keeper.
All this is brewed because of very simple doings. Before taking tax payers hard earn dollars an feed the prisoners, get the prisoners to clean the city,
pick up garbage, sweep the markets across the country, hell have them sweep the streets!
Let them grow their own food and then see how much of them will want to go to prison an enjoy the luxury lives they are living in there. Our senior citizens don’t get 3 square meals, free water and light and the highest security but the criminals of this land are enjoying it to the limits. You might think this is inhumane to change the luxury lives of the prisoners but remember they are not human in any form. Only vicious, wild animals do the things these criminals do; of all the advisors and all the fancy labels they carry…its of no use. You can get your ideas from simply watching movies of the matter. No need for rocket science formula. Come on people…advance and be recognized for the purpose, the reasons and the people do what have to be done to bring laws in place
pay the police more set up body cameras on every one of them on their vehicle. Stop the bribes, implement various fines…in that way more revenues will be made. The people want tint, then let them pay for it. In that way you will have a record system on who have and who don’t. These petty things is easy to handle. Please don’t make it more difficult for yourselves and the country.
I’m not a Phd, LLB, an all the rest of fancy abbreviations there are. That don’t make sense. I simply have commonsense. I have a few ideas that will and can help the current situation in our homeland. I’m willing to help any day!
The man may be busy with security arrangements that relate to the upcoming jubilee celebrations, particularly in relation to the rebellions being staged by prisoners at this time. These have the potential to scare away visitors who might be planning to come for the celebrations and spend some of their money. If they don’t, the business community and the country as a whole stand to lose. Also, the crime situation in Demerara is much more serious. Maybe he is focusing his attention there for now. Implying that he is engaged in fiftieth anniversary ‘sport’ is in bad taste.
I see nothing wrong if he asks for specifics. Too many people make requests based on generalizations. Specifics may help him to fine-tune his responses. But perhaps he could have shown better choice of words in his response.
The government and the police are almost certainly working to control the crime situation. Commonsense would suggest that they cannot highlight every strategy in the media as this would allow the criminals (those who know to read) and their handlers, to adjust their own strategies. On the subject of handlers this fiftieth anniversary crime wave strikes me as being very convenient for some. The chamber may wish to look closer to home, not necessarily in the geographic sense, to find the source. I am sure that something sinister is at work here.
It must be conceded though that the government needs to produce results and produce them now in terms of suppressing crime. Policemen must not be afraid to use lethal force when the situation warrants it. And this business of prisoners throwing faeces on prison warders and groping female warders has to stop immediately. Examples must be made of the ringleaders. For decades now the army has been beating the living daylights of soldiers who desert. Show me a former soldier who denies this and I will show you a liar. Desertion is a minor offence during peace time. Why must hardened criminals be treated gently.
There is a national crisis,the focus is on giving ,truants and law breakers rights,how in the world can you not focus on punishment,seems this govt wants the population to live in fear..There is no balance,remove the security minister.
A useless government not going to help.
Granger create that problem when he release criminal
But on the other hand thats what guyana vote for
So enjoy it
So our learned Minister will not be “in” a better position but he will be “on” a better position. Anyway, vote like a boss voters, quite a crime plan you guys voted for eh?
LOL. I am not surprised with this clueless minister response. Why would this Jubille celebrations takes precedence over this burning issue (ESCALATING CRIME RATE)???? Is this the change Guyanese voted for???? This idiot must get his priorities in order.
Pressure mounts on Gov’t as crime wave spirals..
All of you will not only be sitting ducks but rather dead ducks if you do not bring pressure to bear on the installed government.. they were installed to rule so they and their installers dont give a rats ass to who live / who die / who survive.
All adults citizens of Guyana must take the the streets in front of the president office and demand laws passed immediately where all adult Guyanese whom would like to be trained in high power weapon ( gun ) use and be allowed to hold the weapon ( gun ) of their choice in order to protect self family and property.
28 years of PNC rule – Guyanese lost their lives to bandits and earnings- terrorists.
23 years of PPPC rule- Guyanese lost their lives and earnings to bandits-terrorists
11 months only into this newly installed mostly PNC regime –again- and Guyanese are losing their lives and earnings more rapidly with no letting up in sight.
One main factor in all of this—all those that governs Guyanese are asking the same people to protect them.–not going to happen– there are many in the security forces that are themselves criminals-there are many in security forces that are kit and kin to criminals- with that deadly combination you are not only sitting duck but sooner rather than later you all will be dead ducks.
Calling for arms so citizens can defend self defend family defend property is not calling for violence.
Security failing Guyanese and will continue to once those factors mentioned are still the norm of the day.
One more note of vital importance..Guyana moved from a poor indebted country to a middle income country according to UN report..
The mighty external powers comes into your country to destabilize to grab resources and raw materials and to make the brain and rich run helter skelter most likely to their country. Do you need to be a rocket scientist to figure this out?
Can’t believe his reply. Bring MR ROGER KHAN.
All eyes are on the 5oth, who cares about anything else, shameful and unacceptable