The airport and banks must make confidentiality and security top priorities

Dear Editor,

I refer to two articles: SN, August 8 ‘Middle Rd family shot at, robbed after returning from airport,’ and KN, August 9, ‘Customer accuses bank guard in $1.5M heist.’

In both cases the means of communication was obviously done by what are now indispensible instruments, namely, cell phones, which were indisputably used clandestinely to perpetrate these well-orchestrated crimes.

It must be noted that it is mandatory to truthfully fill out an immigration form for submission to officers upon entry at the CJIA; this includes the address and the amount of money brought into Guyana. In the case of the bank, confidentiality and security are well known and established norms of such institutions.

Methods should be put in place at both entities to make confidentiality and security top priorities.

Only logged immigration officers should handle immigration cards processed by them and then they must be kept in a secure place. The only way that a stranger would know a destination is by unauthorized perusal of the cards or subtle enquiring conversations with passengers.

In the airport case maybe it would be better to put the address of a hotel or public place. In the case of the customer of the bank, he was unwittingly outwitted.

I sincerely hope that the bank had a security camera on its compound.

I sincerely hope that the police in their investigations will take into consideration the contents of this letter because these types of crimes are very prevalent and portray a bad impression of Guyana.

Yours faithfully,
Roger Bhulai