The crime situation in the country as a whole, but most especially in the urban spread of Georgetown, has been growing in a frightening crescendo. We are not referring to crimes such as spousal abuse or crimes of passion or white-collar crimes such as embezzlement, but to those crimes where citizens are molested or attacked daily as they go about their normal business. Such crimes occur not merely at nightfall but in broad daylight.
The growth of such crimes has deeply affected the social and economic life of the country; for example, educational lectures which used to be held in the evenings for the public have had to be curtailed and children going to evening lessons have been known to be robbed, especially of their cellphones. Many have to attend using taxis thus burdening parents with additional expenses.
Attendances at mandirs, churches and masjids have been greatly affected since congregations are afraid to be caught on the roads after 18:00h (6pm). Early morning services are also similarly affected. The Novena Services in the Catholic Church are now sparsely attended when compared to in the past. Domestic workers turning out to work in the morning or leaving in the afternoon have been victims of such armed robbers pouncing upon them and stealing their handbags. Persons going home are attacked at their gates or on exiting their cars. In many cases, the bandits rob the victims of their belongings, their cars and even physically hurt them. Many of these victims are senior citizens or women.
The economic life of the country is also deeply affected: Small shops which kept their doors open until the late hours, offering a good service to the public, now have to close before dark. And workers going to night-shifts sometimes find it very unsafe to turn out to work.
Of recent months, there are numerous examples of such crimes, many of which go unreported since victims do not have confidence in the Police’s ability to apprehend the criminals.
These criminals now operate on motorcycles and they scour the streets looking for victims. Sometimes they study the movements of their victims and follow them from their places of work to their homes. In similar fashion, there are bandits in motor cars with dark tinted windows who attack victims. These bandits are all armed with lethal firearms which they are prepared to use on victims to kill or injure them.
These motorcycle bandits are comparatively few in numbers, and the Police, with the help of intelligence, should be able to apprehend them or break the back of such gangs. The motor car bandits with their dark tinted windows could easily be apprehended since they would be breaking the law in the first place by having tinted windows without the necessary permission.
More frequent motorised patrols within the urban spread would also help to bring this form of criminality under control. The courts also, when such alleged criminals are brought before them, should act with promptitude and fair severity.
Persons accused of receiving stolen property, especially cars and car parts, should be dealt with condignly. If these receivers of stolen property are made examples, this would help to cut the root of such crimes.
The Police are planning their usual strengthening of their Christmas patrols and having Police outposts in various parts of downtown Georgetown. This is of course, a very desirable activity to protect Christmas shoppers and businesses but the Police also need to take into their urgent focus the motorcar and motorcycle bandits.
That said, this responsibility should not be left solely to the Police. All sections of society must lend their support. Most important and effective would be if His Excellency; the President were to publicly and repeatedly speak out against such crimes. If the President were to speak out, the criminal gangs would realise that the Government is determined to eradicate crimes of this type and protect citizens and their property. All citizens are looking forward to His Excellency doing his part in this anti-crime drive.
The crime situation is so ubiquitous and dangerous that it is worthwhile trying all solutions.
