Police Commissioner (ag) Henry Greene yesterday said that Guyanese are living in serious times, disclosing that there has been a six per cent increase in violent crimes and the murder rate for this year was double that for the corresponding period last year.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the annual police officers’ conference, Greene told the gathering, which included President Bharrat Jagdeo and other senior government officials, that the two recent slaughters, which claimed the lives of 23 people had made a mockery of the strides the force made last year.
“We thought that in 2007 we had accomplished much but the events of January 25 and February 17 have brought us back…,” the commissioner acknowledged. Guyana witnessed a 23% drop in serious crimes last year with the murder rate being at its lowest in five years, but Greene said criminals declaring themselves “freedom fighters” had decided to rock the boat.
