Guyana’s mid-year report: Increase prosecutions, cordon & search operations led to reduction in serious crimes

During the first half of 2021, $22.6 million was expended towards the training of 1,049 Police ranks in 47 courses. These efforts, coupled with an increased number of prosecutions, cordon and search operations, and enhanced vehicular and foot patrols have led to a 22.7 per cent reduction in serious crimes countrywide during the first half of this year when compared to the same period last year.
This is according to the recently released Finance Ministry’s Mid-Year Report for 2021.
According to the report, it is projected that an additional 1,654 ranks will be trained during the second half of the year to tackle crime and ultimately strengthening the Police Force’s crime-fighting and investigative capabilities.
During the first half of 2021, the Mid-Year Report noted that $16.1 billion was expended of the $38.1 billion which was allocated to the security sector to advance the Government’s efforts of ensuring that every citizen is living and working in a safe, orderly, and peaceful environment.
As of June 2021, 21 motorcycles were added to support the Police Force’s anti-crime patrols.
For the latter half of the year, the report noted that the land and water transport capacity of the Police Force will be strengthened with the delivery of programmed vehicles, motorcycles, and boats to allow for better response to crime, in fulfillment of the Government’s manifesto promise.
Moreover, the report said that in keeping with the Budget 2021 promise of resuscitating Community Policing Groups, the sum of $11.4 million was expended towards supporting plans and programmes through community involvement in 225 policing groups nationwide.
This period also saw the formation of 139 new groups in areas such as Moruca, Orealla, Santa Mission, Siparuta, Mabaruma, and communities along the coastal regions. Also, during the first of this year, $567 million was spent on the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of Police infrastructure.
Works are nearing completion at Whim, Albion, and Cove, and John police stations while works will commence in the second half at Ruimveldt, Providence, Kamarang, and Acquero police stations.

Stats
For the period January 1, to September 6, 2021, the Guyana Police Force reported a 20 per cent decrease in serious crimes when compared to the same period last year. Statistics released by the Force, however, showed that there has been a significant increase in reports for rape.
Murder, rape, robbery under-arms, break and enter and larceny, larceny from person, robbery with aggravation, robbery with violence, robbery, kidnapping, and burglary are considered serious crimes. According to the Police, all serious except robbery, rape, and kidnapping have declined.
For the reporting period, a total of 1, 393 reports for serious crimes were reported to the Police. This reflects a decrease when compared to the same period in 2020 which recorded 1, 742 reports. There has been a 19.8 per cent decrease in murder so far.
As of September 6, 89 persons were murdered when compared to the same period last year during which 111 murders were recorded. For the reporting period, no murders occurred in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). The Police disclosed that the majority of murders that took place this year were disorderly in nature. Murders in this category numbered 54.
For the same period last year, there were 65 such murders. Additionally, five persons were murdered execution-style, seven were murdered during the course/furtherance of robberies, while nine persons were killed due to unknown circumstances.
Like last year, there have been 14 domestic-related murders thus far for the year. The Police received 208 rape reports in the first half of 2021, reflecting a 47.5 per cent increase when compared to 141 reports during the same period in 2020. Robbery reports increased by 21.1 per cent.
One report for kidnapping was made this year. When it comes to the prosecution rate, the Police reported that all serious crimes except burglary have seen an increase in persons being prosecuted.
Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) recorded the lowest number of serious crimes with 28 reports, down from 47 for the same period last year. Regional Division Four (A), which stretches from Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown to Agricola, Greater Georgetown accounted for the majority of the reports with 401.
This represents a decline when compared to the same period last year in which there were 669 reports.