The Alliance For Change (AFC), expressing outrage at the upsurge in violent robberies is demanding that serious measures be put in place to protect those travelling to the city to conduct business.
This comes several days after scrap metal dealer Akbar Alli of Longwood Enmore, East Coast Demerara was shot dead by one of two bandits, as he was about to enter a Brickdam auto dealership to conduct business. The bandits had seconds before grabbed a small travelling bag containing $2.1M from his wife. The couple had earlier visited a bank in the city.
A release from the AFC said it was outraged at the violent robberies, which continue unabated and most recently resulted in the death of Alli.
“Despite all of the high security measures put in place including gifts of vehicles, the constant aerial surveillance by helicopters and high-level training sessions of SWAT units being shown in the daily news, the average citizen and businessperson are now more vulnerable to criminality,” the release added.
While expressing deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Alli, AFC called for measures to be put in place to protect those who travel to the city to do business and are being “preyed upon and exterminated like sitting ducks”.
The release said that it was now time for the police to come out from behind their barricade and confront the criminals in the streets and in their dens.
“If the police hierarchy remains safely cocooned within fortified walls and sunset street closures, what confidence does any citizen have that his or her life and property safe?” the party questioned before adding that if the Police Force does not act now to serve and protect all citizens, a new form of vigilantism will emerge.
