April 10, 2024
Georgetown, Guyana.
For immediate release to all media houses.
PRESS RELEASE
The State of Public Security in Guyana
presented on April 5, 2024 at the AFC Press Conference by Khemraj Ramjattan MP
The AFC notes with grave concern the upsurge in crimes, road fatalities, domestic violence and activities which make Guyana seemingly an insecure place. Corruption, petty and large-scale, run riot in Government and its various institutions.
This state of insecurity in Guyana will be a driver for further migration to other lands of our more skilled and professional. And will deter genuine, legitimate foreign investors.
The AFC posits that key obstacles to getting it right in the public security sector include corruption within law enforcement and impunity and complicity. The PPP Government does not want to admit and address these keys obstacles, nor to demand from law enforcement the transparency and accountability needed.
The PPP Government must appreciate that not continuing the major overhaul of the security sector commenced by the Coalition Government, but bringing back the same forces that operated with impunity a blank check, will lead to disaster.
The AFC urges the Government to:
- recommence the implementation of the recommendations of the British Security Sector Reform;
- craft a policing strategy that is compatible with democracy and not a strong-man nor an iron-fisted state;
- actively work with communities to prevent the public from distrusting law enforcement while at the same time incentivizing good and effective police behaviour through training, merit-based selection and promotion procedures, and delivering better salaries and benefits, and implementing rigorous evaluation programs;
- channeling more resources, now available under that PSA 2016, into anti-corruption vetting systems for especially senior officers of the GPF for personnel screening tests and recruitment accountabilities scrutiny;
- adopt a wider surveillance system, expanding on the Smart City project earlier started in Coalition Government;
- enhancing road signing infrastructure and continuing it to help drivers on our roads;
- halt the politicization of law enforcement agencies. Guyanese lose confidence once they see or perceive that it’s officers prioritize the interests of the PPP over those of the country; and,
- convene meetings of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Security so that the Opposition, as like the Opposition under the Coalition Government, can scrutinize the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Fire Services, and the Prisons Services.
End.
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