By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Against calls by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) for the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and by extension the Private Sector Commission (PSC) to convince President Donald Ramotar to remove Clement Rohee as Home Affairs Minister, President of the GCCI and Vice-Chairman of the PSC Clinton Urling says the removal of Rohee will not solve Guyana’s crime problem and signaled no intention to have the bodies approach the President in this regard.
Urling told iNews during a telephone interview that following a recent security seminar conducted by the PSC to discuss what appears to be an escalation in crime; the body is satisfied with the plans of Minister Rohee and more particularly the Ministry of Home Affairs for the local security sector.
“What we should do is examine why some of the polices that were implemented in the past have not worked or why the implementation of recommendations may be slow” he said, adding that “the focus should not be on Rohee’s removal because that does not solve the problem.”
The GCCI President recommends that the focus be placed on the executing agency – the Guyana Police Force – to examine what are the immediate needs of the crime fighting unit to quickly arrest the crime situation.
“Instead of the political tit-for-tat, this is what they should do” he said.
Opposition Leader David Granger is of the opinion that they longer Rohee is in charge of the security of Guyana, the crime situation will keep increasing.
“The longer they keep him there, the worse the situation will become,” Granger said.
The political opposition parties have been calling for Rohee’s removal for over a year now and according to the APNU, the Party is exploring other options aimed at removing the Home Affairs Minister from office. Granger said the Party has done all it possibly could in the National Assembly.
The APNU had moved a no confidence motion against Rohee, which was passed in the national assembly. According to Granger, it is quite clear that after seven years of Rohee being in office, the crime situation has worsened. “There needs to be changes at the top,” Granger said. Additionally, Former Commissioner of Police, and now APNU Parliamentarian, Winston Felix also accused Rohee of micro managing and being too intrusive in the operations of the Guyana Police Force.
