Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee and a team including the National Commission for Law and Order met with Zealand residents to discuss issues affecting them and possible solutions.
The team also included Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn and Gerald Gouveia from the Private Sector Commission. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release residents raised concerns about petty crimes, noise nuisance, the operation of unlicensed businesses, poor police responses, stray animals and other encumbrances along the public road, the deteriorating Mahaica old bridge, and exploitation under the guise of Value Added Tax (VAT).
In response, Rohee said that most of these issues are not unique to Zealand, rather they are found countrywide. He informed residents that noise nuisance is an offence that is punishable by law and urged them to work with the police to address such occurrences.
The minister also called on the community to form Community Policing Groups from which persons will be selected for training as Supernumeraries and Rural Constables to assist the police in maintaining law and order. He also reminded residents that certain amendments have been made to the Pounds Act which provides increased fees for stray catchers from $1000 to $5000.
Rohee also said the ministry is collaborating with the Guyana Revenue Authority to close down shops that are operating illegally. As regard shopkeepers exploiting residents under the guise of charging VAT, he said government had published a list of items that are VAT-exempt. He advised them to familiarise themselves with the zero-rated items as, “We have to be able to put our foot down as individuals and as citizens of a country.”
Meanwhile, Benn encouraged the Neighbourhood Democratic Council, the police and the Regional Chairman to continue to be assertive with respect to executing their responsibilities since the first stroke of intervention lies within the purview of the local authorities. As regard encumbrances along the road, the minister said the unit that is tasked with dealing with this issue is very small and as such it may not be able to address specific issues on a day-to-day basis unless it has direct or immediate safety impacts.
He also pointed out that whenever government undertakes large infrastructural projects, citizens have a role to play in ensuring that basic national and international standards are adhered to in order to derive optimum benefits. On the issue of the Mahaica old bridge, he said currently, engineers are examining the most practical solution that is whether it should be closed off to heavy-duty traffic or whether it should be a bridge for pedestrians only.
Additionally, Gouveia said the Commission is a body that spreads across Guyana to formulate policies that seek to improve citizens’ daily lives. He urged the police to be more proactive in the community so that they can quickly address small conflicts.
