The PNCR has called for a special unit in the Guyana Police Force to deal with domestic violence and for special procedures to take such reports.
The party in offering condolences to the relatives of three women who died last month–one by her paramour, the other by the `child mother’ of her boyfriend and the third turned herself into a human torch after her husband refused to reconcile–said domestic violence reports should not only be taken, but acted upon.
“The PNCR has always been committed to advocating the rights and protection of all citizens, whether males or females, as it continues to monitor the performance of the current regime in fighting and curbing the scourge of domestic violence in Guyana,” the party said in a press statement..
The police in a release last year July following severe criticism of its response to domestic violence reports had said that it had put in place institutional structures/mechanisms at its Headquarters, Divisional, Sub Divisional and Station levels to ensure appropriate responses to reports of domestic violence. It said that as far as practicable reports of domestic violence made at stations are being dealt with in areas that afford privacy and confidentiality.
In the statement, the GPF noted too that a Central Domestic Violence Unit had been established at the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters with overall responsibility for monitoring the Domestic Violence Desk within the Divisions and Sub-Divisions in terms of implementation of the relevant Force policies and procedures and the outcome of reports and cases before the court.
The PNCR yesterday expressed condolences to relatives and friends of Deon Stephens, Letuica Rodriquez and Rhondina Adams. Adams set herself on fire last Sunday morning; Stephens was murdered by her reputed husband and Rodriquez by her boyfriend’s former girlfriend.
The party noted that in all three instances relatives stated that reports were made to the police who failed to take action and in one instance chased one of the now dead women out of the station.
The party stated that on its television programme ‘Nation Watch’ which was aired on September 19 on HBTV-Channel Nine, Deborah Backer, MP and Shadow Minister of Home Affairs, addressed the issue of domestic violence. She reiterated the PNCR’s position that there seems to be a lack of purpose within the operations of the police. Backer also stressed that domestic violence has become an epidemic in Guyana. Much more sensitivity training seems to be required.
According to the police over the year it has pursued an aggressive policy of training for its members in domestic violence in view of its serious effect on society, and has adopted a zero tolerance approach aimed at taking the appropriate action against all perpetrators.
