…but police have performed well in 2008, Rohee says
The rampant smuggling of firearms which are then used by criminals to sometimes commit some of the most heinous crimes is a continued source of concern for Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, who said even though the police have recovered some illegal weapons many still remain in the hands of criminals.
The minister at his end-of-year press conference on Monday called on the public to support the joint services in recovering weapons, which include those that were stolen from Camp Ayanganna in 2006, by providing information. He noted that with firearms in the hands of criminals some amount of threat is posed to society at large.
Rohee also mentioned the numerous complaints by members of the public about the long time it takes for members of the force on some occasions to respond to reports of crime and other matters. He said benchmarks for responses to reports have been set by various police divisions, but there is need for more monitoring of the responses to be done by senior officers.
Meanwhile, Rohee said his ministry has been taking steps to deal with the issue of illegal drugs. This revelation by the minister comes at a time when two major drug busts were made in a matter of days in foreign countries with the cocaine found said to have originated from Guyana. According to the minister, initiatives are being developed to facilitate a more “coordinated approach by the respective law enforcement agencies to deal with this problem, both from the standpoint of demand reduction and supply reduction.”
He said that the establishment of the Task Force on Narcotics and Illicit Weapons has resulted in more coordination by the law enforcement agencies to deal with the issue.
“The issue of drug trafficking still remains with us but strenuous efforts are being made to deal with the problem,” the minister said.
Rohee said during the year the police faced the challenge of the threat to the national security of the country posed by gangs in particular the marauding gang headed by the now dead Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins and his cohorts. The managing of the traffic situation after the dramatic rise in the number of fatal accidents in 2007 also remained a challenge.
He said the force effectively dealt with both challenges as it had to quickly adjust its operational strategies to deal with the difficulties during the year. He noted that the lives of four policemen were snuffed out and a number of ranks received injuries. And many civilians also lost their lives at the hands of the bandits with the massacres at Lusignan, Bartica and Lindo Creek being testimony to the savagery that the force has had to confront.
“It is my belief that only the good quality of training received by members of the services who confronted those criminals prevented more deaths among members of their ranks,” the minister told reporters. He said significant inroads have been made into the operations of the criminals. However, the task to arrest the remaining members of the gangs and recover illegal weapons in their possession is far from over.
‘Drastic remedial action’
Meanwhile, Rohee said it was the remedial action that was taken following the high number of deaths on the roadways last year that they had significantly reduced this year. While some 207 persons died on the roadways last year 113 died for this year, a 54.6% reduction. And while 30 children died on the roadway last year up to December 10, for the corresponding period this year only seven died. The minister cautioned motorists and pedestrians to exercise more courtesy and care on the roads while adding that speeding on the highways needs to be curbed.
Projections
Rohee hopes that the new year would see a “further” reduction of the incidence of crime and that there would be better management of the traffic system. He also wants to see an enhancement of the cooperation between the police force and the community policing groups and the neighbourhood policing groups. The minister is also hoping for a reduction in the incidence of noise nuisance and the enhancement of the working environment of members of the force and other welfare facilities. A better relationship between the force and the public is also hoped for with the intensification of training in the force at all levels being on the radar too.
If no other ‘Fineman’ emerges, or having emerged, is able to do any harm, then you have done a good job. We already know it’s not the ‘Finemen’ who are bring the guns in. Show us you have the b–ls to face the real criminals.
Already I’m liking the ‘demand reduction and supply reduction’ approach (if it’s meant, that is). Make me proud.
And thanks for the lowered road fatalities.
I have to agree with the Minister’s actions with reference to the gun violence and the efforts he is making to make Guyana “SAFE” again, however he needs the cooperation of the courts in denying bail to anyone found and charged with an illegal firearm(s). I think that 2009 we will see a different Guyana.
Police and army performed well in 2008 because they killed out several criminals armed with guns and murdering people. Unfortunately, that’s not where criminality in Guyana starts and stop. We have major drug and gun smugglers who are not being caught. Whe have major launderers who remain untouched. We have corruption in government and the police force with no arrests or trials.
There is no way that Fineman and Skinny and Gibson were the only criminal menaces to society. When people can do business with questionable sources of financing, or when the government openly associates with such people, it robs the government of the moral and legal authority to talk about fighting criminals.
It took a major bust in Canada and the USVI for the Guyana authorities to REACT to a situation that is taking place right under their noses. They know Fineman, Skinny and Gibson, but they don’t know the people behind the drugs and guns running, money laundering, and government corruption. Ha! Gimme a break! How convenient!!!
Well said.
HOw about supplying more vehicles to the police so they can respond quickly, also the 911 system needs to be fixed.
I agree… 911 definitely needs fixing. They also need more ambulances with qualified medical personnels and treatment on board. In instances of sickness or injury, many suffer or succumb on their way to hospitals because no immediate medical attention or ambulance, for that matter, is available.
Whatever rohee, so many unsolve murders so many crimes robberies ect,ect and only now u woke to see the light where were u all this time especially when Alicia Foster was murder what happen to the lindo creek massacare investigation, enlighten us on ur progress, where were u when the public and the media needed u on coments abt the situation, it proven futile most of the time ……now u have the gall to stand there and tell us this, we don’t need ur sorry coment what was written out for u what ever u say still doesn’t make u look good u didn’t even attended the funeral of that brave berbician cop that died in the line of duty how dare u, can come now to tell ppl abt guns and drugs the foolice knows most of these cartels but can’t touch them. ……..peace out
WHAT ABOUT THE USA UNSOLVE MURDERS, CAN YOU BLAME THE PRESIDENT? NO.
Mr. Rohee, I do not believe the GPF has performed credibly. They still need basic training. Also what is the crime solved percentage compared to 2007? And people still have cell phones in prison. What percentage of cases brought before the DPP and the Courts result in a conviction? Tell me those stats. Tell the public. We will decide. How many cold cases have u solved in 2008? What new hardware have you added to the crime labs and how much less legwork and convictions have it resulted in? Are our women protected better? Are our men convicted of domestic abuse counselled with their wives while incarcerated or are they steaming up to repeat the crimes again? Are we trained to treat our gay prisoners with respect too or are they prosecuted just because they are gay?
Good job by the police who were faced with a bunch of thieves and murderous criminals. Very nice.Job well done. Guyana is safer with these creeps off the streets.In retrospect, in light of all the criminal upheavals,the police prevailed.It is time people should give the police all due credit for policing 2008.
Surely they did a good job by neutralising and eliminating those notorious criminals/gangs that once spread terror in Guyana, that’s alone is worthy of all praises.
Let us read what the naysayers have to say, which is a bunch of negatives,and take it with the grain of salt it desreves.
Police performed well, oh this is the most precious thing I ever heard. Tell that to the parents who had to bury their young adult children how long ago and no one was or will ever be charged with their murder. Does our minister actually believe what he is saying? Guyanese have been tolerating the garbarge and lies year after year, why should this year be any different? This is a beautiful country which needs cleansing, and I do mean an entire new government — hopefully new blood with a new way of thinking and a better sense of strategic planning and a proper methodology in place will be able to do a better job than the jokers in offic today. May God help us all; with all the rains in Guyana for more than three months every single day, is it possible that God is trying to wash away some of the sins in this place? Just asking.
If he called killing those criminal in 2008,doing well i do not want to see his plans for 2009,with what is already happening and it is the start of the year,the death of all those innocent people has overshadowed all the good if the did any, that the gpf said they did,and leaving people without answers is even worst ,self praise is no recomendation,and also they need to start doing the right thing to earn the trust and respect of the people.