A lot more needs to be done to ensure that the crime rate is further reduced, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan said last Friday, while noting that the introduction of more social programmes can help.
Ramjattan was at the time speaking at an Alliance for Change (AFC) press conference. He is the party’s leader.
Ramjattan noted that the statistics coming from the police have shown a drop in the serious crime rate. He said too that what is very visible is an improved crime solving capacity.
“That does not mean, however, that there have not been sporadic spikes in some weeks, particularly of armed robberies and of course the police is presently doing …lots more work to reduce the rate,” he said.
Last Thursday, the Guyana Police Force said in a press statement that it has recorded an 18% decrease in serious crimes for the year up to the end of August, relative to the same period last year.
There was a 10% reduction in reports of murder; a 7% decrease in gun-related robberies; a 17% decrease in armed robberies where other instruments were used; a 9% decrease in robberies where no instruments were used; a 19% decrease in robberies with violence; a combined 40% decrease in break and enter and larceny, and burglary; a 20% decrease in rape; and a 38% decrease in larceny from the person, the release said.
The improved relations between the public and the police is being credited as a contributory factor to the decrease.
“The relationship with the public and the police is seemingly improving day by day because of the numerous community-related activities being conducted by its ranks, together with the regular Face-the-Community Meetings by Divisional Commanders and other Senior Officers,” the release said.
Ramjattan told reporters that at the ministerial level, government feels that social programmes rather than solely law enforcement will see a reduction of the crime rate and he said those social programmes will be enhanced by the recent community violence and crime initiative.
Told that the general public does not share the same feeling that the crime rate is down, Ramjattan responded “statistics could be criticised…but those are the statistics that we are getting.” He said that if the public is not seeing that the police are now “statistically solving crimes and catching more criminals then something is wrong.”
He said that the crime rate is still very high but it was far lower than last year. “I am not playing politics with these figures. This is genuine figures coming from those units within the police force and if they are not believed, well too bad. There is nothing we can do about that,” he said.
Road fatalities still climbing
In respect to traffic, the force once more reported an increase in road fatalities. It was stated that 87 fatalities have been recorded at the end of August this year, which is seven more than for the same period last year. There was a reduction in serious and minor accidents but again an increase in damage accidents. Speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and inattentiveness continued to be the main causes of fatal accidents.
Traffic enforcement is continuous country-wide, it added, while noting that there is special emphasis on driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, music/breach of condition of road service licence, overloaded minibuses and the use of cellular phones by drivers. Also the lecture to schools programme and visible patrols at school areas are ongoing.
The Guyana Police Force added that it has charged 48,585 persons with traffic offences so far this year. This includes 18,053 for speeding, of which 7, 133 have been fined; 1,168 for driving under the influence of alcohol, of which 268 have been fined; 1,108 for being unlicensed drivers, of which 631 have been fined; 2,016 for overloaded minibuses, of which 872 have been fined; and 476 for using cell phones while driving, of which 268 have been fined.
Meanwhile, the force said that exposure to training, both locally and internationally, continues to be a top priority at all levels. To date, it noted, 87 officers and other ranks have benefitted from overseas training in India, China, USA, Russia, Argentina and Jamaica, among others, in financial investigation, fingerprinting identification, maritime interdiction and prosecution, countering organised crime, public order maintenance, cyber training, footwear impression and identification, counteraction against terrorism and extremism, and surveillance and counter surveillance. The release added that currently there are over 260 ranks undergoing the Basic Recruit Training at the three police colleges.
