Govt has failed to protect Guyanese

Dear Editor,
The APNU/AFC coalition Government can be considered a “military” Government, since its composition is mostly personnel with military and security background; but there is no demonstration of Government’s ability to control crime and criminals, as well as to use the perceived experts — through Government’s intervention — to protect the lives of Guyanese and control crime.
This Government, therefore, must place security of the Guyanese people at the top of its agenda, and ensure the institutions of the state that are responsible for security execute their mission effectively and professionally.
After approximately four years of Government doggedly refusing to concede that crime is a growing menace confronting the citizenry, and insisting that crime rates were instead actually decreasing, the reality is now clear that elements of the Government, including President David Granger and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, have failed miserably to ensure the Guyanese people are safe and secure.
The present reality is that crime in Guyana is not politically motivated, but is caused by the deteriorating economic situation. Since the APNU/AFC Government’s assumption of office, no new jobs have been created to absorb the thousands of persons who have been dismissed directly or indirectly by this Government. And the situation has been compounded by the regular release of criminals by this regime.
While we had expected more effective action from the Police in the fight against crime, the incumbent Minister is unable to manage the Police Force in order to ensure maximum results.
This Government has managed to ensure that the Police Force is being used to enhance Government officials’ personal security and that outriders are there to navigate them through the congested traffic, while ordinary Guyanese are being left to the mercy of the criminals.
The Police Force in Berbice is being used to enhance the suffering of Berbicians, especially the traffic section. The impact of the severed sugar workers and unemployment is the main reason for the present escalation of crime in the ancient county. The APNU/AFC coalition Government must take full responsibility for this situation.
President David Granger; Ministers Ramjattan and Winston Felix; and Joseph Harmon and Gary Best, among others had, before 2015, all the solutions for crime in Guyana; but after four years, they have failed the Guyanese people in regard to their constitutional right of getting protection from the state.

Regards,
Zamal Hussain