Government wants to install CCTV cameras on every city street as part of its plans to address the country’s escalating crime, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan announced last evening, while informing that more resources would also be given to the police force.
Since assuming office in May, the APNU+AFC government has been confronted with a continuing rise in serious crime that began since February.
While the government has announced various interventions, the situation continues to worsen. Currently a five-point security plan is being finalised.
Ramjattan yesterday told the National Assembly that under Phase Two of the Citizens Security Programme (CSP), government has formulated an “emergency smart street safe city proposal” that will see the installation of over 100 CCTV cameras in and around the city, where over 50 % of crimes are committed.
Additionally, he said the proposal also includes the construction of a command centre, where the footage would be monitored throughout each day.
Under the previous administration, some 130 cameras–which was the last count given by former Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon–were installed.
Ramjattan said footage from some of these cameras has led to convictions in hundreds of careless driving and dangerous driving cases. “We manage to see the face of the driver and the car and we send a summons to them,” he said, while adding that it has paid dividends.
During an interview with Stabroek News on Monday, Ramjattan had outlined the proposal for the additional cameras but when asked how long it will take to implement he said the plans were still in the infancy stage.
Though he could not say how many cameras are currently working, Ramjattan stated that the command centre where all the cameras will be linked will be separate from the existing Central Intelligence Unit (CIU), which is located in the compound of Castellani House.
Based on what this newspaper was told previously, the existing CCTV cameras are monitored by staff attached to the CIU. Police are also receiving a live feed from the unit. Up to now, the heads of the unit, which falls under the control of the Ministry of the Presidency, has not been identified to the public and information on its workings and staff complement has been top secret.
According to Ramjattan, the CCTV cameras proposal had to first get the backing of Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to ensure that funding could be made available for the purchasing of the cameras and the construction of the command centre.
“We had to get the IDB to do a no-objection to the people who are going to manage that Citizens Security Plan and the names have gone up to them for the no-objection. It will take some time, so we now have to get the disbursements from the IDB,” he told Stabroek News.
Crime
Crime, Ramjattan said, has been on the increase since February and not from when government took office as many are being led to believe.
“…The impression being (falsely) given by the opposition is that as soon as this coalition came into office we are the ones that started this high crime rate,” he said, while informing that to shoot down such assertions he asked the Commissioner of Police to provide him with crime rates statistics. “It was growing since February, long before we come into government, long, around the same time y’all stop paying the indigenous CSOs [Community Support Officers], the thing start going up around that time,” he said, causing an uproar among the ranks of the opposition.
Despite Speaker Barton Scotland’s attempt to bring order to the proceedings, the racket continued even as Ramjattan tried to shout above the comments being made by opposition MPs.
Opposition front bencher Gail Teixeira, on a point of order, asked for Ramjattan to withdraw the statement as the implications were “racist and… criminal. He is making a link between the CSOs not being paid and the increase in crime. It is unacceptable in this House. I am asking that he withdraw that comment.”
The Speaker gave Teixeira no satisfaction and asked Ramjattan to proceed with his presentation.
According to Ramjattan, the root causes of crime have to be found. So far, the Commissioner of Police, in an analysis, has identified some of the causes to include increases in drug use, the availability of alcohol, guns, high levels of employment particularly in Georgetown where 50% of crimes are committed, and increases in the children growing up in violent homes and their general exposure to violence.
“I had to inform them [the police commanders] that crime comes about also because of a terrible human condition called greed… like some people who are former ministers having eight cars and huge chunks of money,” he said to shouts of “Oh yeah” from fellow minister Amna Ally. He said others are driven to crime because of the desperation of not doing well.
“This crime rate is not T20 cricket. This is a test match we talking ’bout and it will take some time before the crime rate goes down because you have to put a number of programmes and packages together,” he stressed.
Demoralised ranks
According to Ramjattan, government also understands that there must be a better police force in which ranks are not demoralised. He said there is evidence of the demoralisation of the force “by a number of programmes and practices of certain leadership at the political level.” As he spoke he glanced at former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.
Ramjattan spoke of the delayed promotion and non-promotion of cadet officers to the rank of Assistant Superintendent. He also said he was informed that a number of senior policemen were only given half of their annual 42 days’ vacation leave on the instruction of Rohee, which is a violation of public service rules.
A long list of policemen in 2014, he added, were not sent on a number of important overseas courses and he called out a number of names and the programmes the ranks were supposed to attend. Ramjattan made it clear that government has and will be ensuring that all of the overseas training and scholarships, even if it is long term, would be attended by the ranks identified.
He stressed that overseas training is important, particularly to capacity building. “We will ensure that each and every one of those training seminars and workshops are attended by these senior ranks,” he said to the approval of his colleagues.
He spoke of collaboration with Canada and the US in the strengthening of the country’s justice system.
Someone sitting on the opposition side heckled, “What about horse riding?” In response, Ramjattan said, “I will come to horse riding. And I will come to dog training. I will avoid, however, goats completely.”
Ramjattan said there will be a trial two-month gun amnesty because “guns are too much out there.” He spoke briefly about the 2 am restriction on the sale of alcohol to address alcohol abuse and an increase in accidents. “You can say what you want but a lot of people feel it is an appropriate option that I have employed to ensure that the drinking also comes to an end,” he said.
Turning his attention to the government’s security plan, he said that it involved enhancing police administration and police organisation and training.
Ramjattan congratulated the Finance Minister for ensuring that $125M was allocated in the budget to purchase arms and ammunition and fingerprint and ballistic equipment and another $193M for vehicles, trucks, motor cycles and outboard engines.
He said horses are an important component of the police force as well as the canine section. Ramjattan said that lots of money have been spent on canine handler training and the acquisition of canines. “It is no laughable matter,” he stressed in response to the jokes from the opposition side. Ramjattan also reiterated that the elections were free and fair. “You must have some respect for this government,” he said to banging desks from his fellow government MPs. “Indeed, this coalition government will listen to you. You made certain recommendations… our Minister of government has indicated we are gonna listen and you must understand and appreciate that not the arrogance and pomposity that was exhibited by you will be done here,” he stressed.
