With “criminals testing the prowess of the new government,” RK Security Services Chairman Roshan Khan recommends that the various security services, military and police forces come together to chart a combined action plan to quell rising crime.
Speaking to the press yesterday at RK Security Services Headquarters at 172 Light and Charlotte streets, Khan said the government and private sector needed to come together urgently to fight the crime in the country. He said a priority should be establishing a rewards fund to make it profitable for people to call to report crimes or assist with information.
“This security service appeals to the security services to combine and construct a fund for such information, and to coordinate their activities. This could be done via the Private Sector Commission, the Chambers of Commerce, and all law abiding citizens. Immediately we recommend to our commissioner to call in the various security services, the military forces, with the blessings of the Honourable Minister of Public Secu-rity, to chart a combined action plan,” Khan said.
He said persons can use the internet, telephones and even volunteers committed to wiping out the criminal hordes…, “who target, kill and rob our peoples,” and can develop a personal relationship with the regulatory body. “Special phones can be provided for such civilian volunteers, who do not wish to publish their own numbers,” he added.
“We believe the disciplined forces need to have constant patrols enhanced in the country. They have a tendency to do this periodically when the crime spikes and when things seem to calm down they always tend to ease down the pressure also,” Khan said.
He added that on normal days there should be day and night patrols around the city involving the amalgamated efforts of the police force, Guyana Defence Force, and the various security services. “The armed private
citizens also have a responsibility to the state, and hence, must play their part,” Khan said, stating that more patriotism was needed.
“Crime has reached, in our opinion, an historic level in Guyana, and if the authorities do not move with swiftness and cohesion of forces, governmental and private, we opine the situation will become worse,” Khan said, pointing out that the current SWAT team has to be more dynamic and that the criminals need to be dealt with condignly, but according to protocols. “They [criminals] must feel cornered. We need a three strikes law and anyone committing offences more than three times must be imprisoned for life. The law on use of firearms must be enhanced, minimum 10 years jail for persons with illegal weapons and ammunition and 25 years for anyone who fires a weapon with intent to rob or kill,” Khan stated.
“It is also known that some police are afraid to confront criminals as they at times are charged for their actions and it has to be understood that police have a split moment or fraction of a second to save his own life. For the life of the police in criminal activities is also of prime importance and we must stand by and support our forces, except for when they abuse their powers,” Khan said.
Referring to the recent attack on one of his company’s cash transport vehicles that resulted in one of the security guards being shot four times and the culprits escaping with a bag of money, Khan confirmed that the money was no more than $4 million and that it was insured. He said the security guard was currently in a stable condition and he did not think that the attack was an inside job.
Khan said that if the $1 million reward offered for information pertaining to that robbery was not used, he will donate it to the fund if it is formed.
