Prime Minister Mark Phillips has fired back at the opposition’s criticisms of his job portfolio, saying he is no “window dressing” and that his contributions are meaningful and stretch across various sectors, including security.
In an interview with Stabroek News, Phillips said that he is comfortable with the roles given to him and does not aspire to be President one day as all he ever wanted to do when he entered politics was to serve the country of his birth in a meaningful way.
“The recent opposition should not judge my position as Prime Minister, and my authority, importance and contributions to the present PPP/C administration’s efforts to develop Guyana, … by the way they treated their PM,” Phillips said on Friday.
“I am here to serve, and to date, I am serving, and I do consider myself an important member of the PPP/C’s leadership team that formed the government on August 2, 2020. And I can assure you that I will be contributing meaningfully to good governance, policy making and development initiatives, programmes and projects implementation; mainly in the sectors under my portfolio; for the remainder of our five-year term in office,” he stressed.
When President Irfaan Ali had named his Cabinet and ministers were sworn in, no portfolio was initially announced for Phillips, a retired GDF brigadier. Observers had likened what they believed was his sidelining to that of former Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, whose portfolio was limited to the media.
The opposition APNU+AFC was quick to point out that no responsibilities were named for Phillips and echoed pre-elections positions that he was chosen by the PPP/C as mere “window dressing”.
In rebuttal, the Prime Minister said that he is now responsible for telecommunications, e-governance, power generation, government information and disaster management. And because of his past experience as Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and his decades-long service there, he was also asked to serve on the National Security Committee and is a member of the Defence Board.
“I will be contributing in a meaningful manner at the strategic/policy level as it pertains to matters of security and defence,” he said.
Phillips had championed public security during the party’s election campaign and had said that he was drawn to the PPP/C’s manifesto for a number of reasons that included citizen security.
Most importantly, he had said that after witnessing what he called the last government’s disregard for the constitution of Guyana and the rule of law, he was inspired to join the PPP/C.
In an interview with this newspaper, shortly after he was chosen as Prime Ministerial candidate, Phillips had said that he wanted persons to know their neighbourhoods are safe, “that their daughters can come home from lessons in a safe environment, that their sons will not easily access weapons, that their children and the elderly can traverse the streets without being wary of road carnage and that those who are bent on living on the wrong side of the law will know that its long arms are always within touching distance.”
And when asked then if it had been agreed that public security would fall under the prime ministerial portfolio if the PPP/C was elected, he had indicated that he would be seeking to contribute in one way or another.
“There has been much chatter about me holding specific portfolios. While my expertise and experience reside in the realm of national security, a strategic approach to this issue in the wider context of governance and a constitutional position as high as Prime Minister, it does not necessarily place me in that Brickdam office (Home Affairs). I can assure you however, that with my background, I will in one way, shape, or form, contribute to the crafting and execution of security and safety of all Guyanese without fear or favour,” he had said.
Given his long service in the army and acquaintanceship with security matters, Phillips was asked on Friday what contributions he planned to make in this area and what advice he would provide on tackling crime where daily there are many robberies and other attacks on citizens.
“We will continue to work with the Guyana Police Force to enhance their operations in all divisional areas, especially in the urban areas like Georgetown,” he responded.
“Additionally, we will be working to make community policing more effective during our term of office. These, along with other measures outlined in our manifesto, will improve public safety as we implement them over the coming months,” he added.
Turning to the continued unrest over the murders of the three West Berbice teens, Isaiah Henry, Joel Henry and Haresh Singh, whose families the Prime Minister had visited on behalf of government, Phillips was asked if he was confident that the crimes will be solved.
Complex crime
He answered, “Solving such a complex crime will be challenging but I am confident our police force will eventually find the perpetrators.”
But he emphasized that the issue was serious and should not ever be politicized and that all efforts should go towards solving the crime and helping law enforcement authorities to do so.
“What we have to do as leaders is not to seek political mileage out of this incident but to support the efforts of our law enforcement officials as they work overtime with the resources at hand to solve this crime,” he said.
Trans-border crimes
As a former Chief of Staff, he explained what he believes are major security concerns for the country today, saying that tackling trans-border crimes should be a priority.
Said Phillips, “While we cannot forget or be complacent with regards to the traditional territorial claims from two of our neighbouring countries, the non-traditional or trans- border threats will be of greater concern now. That is the drugs or narcotics trafficking, trafficking in persons, movement of refugees into Guyana, environmental degradation associated with illegal or unregulated mining operations and other unlawful activities in our hinterland, remote, border areas. Poverty issues in our urban areas and related criminal activities will be more of a concern as we seek to make Guyana a secure place for investment in the near future.”
And leaning on his experience in the army and knowing firsthand its needs, he said that the Irfaan Ali government will focus on improving the operational assets of the GDF and that the Force’s personnel “will be utilized more in its development role during this administration.”
For the former Chief of Staff of the GDF, there has to be a conscientious effort by all stakeholders to “continue to build capacity and enhance the capabilities of the GDF, in keeping with its role that includes the defence, security and development of Guyana.”
He says that he sees the army as a multi-faceted institution of opportunities and encouraged youth to think of a career there.
“The GDF engineers will be utilized on infrastructural projects. At present the GDF personnel is used along with other members of the disciplined services to educate and enforce the COVID-19 measures throughout Guyana. GDF medical personnel are also involved in treating persons infected by the pandemic at our health institutions. GDF’s agriculture farm is a model farm utilized by many students of our secondary and tertiary educational institutions. More and more the GDF will be involved in all activities in Guyana,” Phillips asserted.
