By Tracey Khan – Drakes
![AFC General Secretary, David Patterson and Member, Dominic Gaskin. [iNews' Photo]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/AFC2.jpg)
At a press conference on Friday, August 29, General Secretary, David Patterson stated that gun related crimes seem to be on the increase without a solution.
“The present rate of gun related crime has reached an unprecedented high, almost every day there is a report of crime involving the use of firearm and all too often the victims are fatally injured. In too many instances the alleged gunman is a young. This points to a broader ill present in our society,” Patterson told reporters.
“The crime situation must be addressed in a broader social economic context, this must not be taken to mean that the AFC sees poverty as an excuse to commit crime. Unconfirmed reports seem to indicate that the rate of gun related crimes seems to be higher as many instances in the interior regions go unreported.”
According to the AFC, the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic has failed to address this problem.
“Innocent citizens are suffering. Of recent, the Minister of Home Affairs has been trying to shift the burden of responsibility to the Commissioner of Police while he behaves like the biblical pilate.”
Patterson noted that the Home Affairs Minister who is also the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party seems to “be more concerned with the affairs of his Party than with the security of the people, many of whom voted for his Party with the expectation that the PPP/C Government would have ensured a safe society, these voters are now convinced that the PPP does not care about their safety and wellbeing”.
The AFC is now advocating for a comprehensive reform security sector that is in compliance with internationally accepted guidelines for policing.
