Is it crime fighting, or a reaction to the USA advisory?

Dear Editor,
First, it was the killing of three bandits on the Corentyne, then there was a follow-up with three more killings in Norton Street, Lodge, yet crime continues unabated.
Since last Thursday night’s shooting, there have been several other armed robberies, many of which were conducted in broad daylight, so what have we here in Guyana? The point is we are having a lot of piecemeal, double talking, political posturing, on crime with the real crime situation certainly getting out of control. So, let us take a candid look at crime in Guyana.
First, it was the Director General, Harmon, speaking for the Government, stating in one voice that Guyana is a beautiful place, one where crime is down and persons should want to visit. Then in the same tone, he confirmed that crime is hurting the economy and foreign investment would shy away from this country.
Then, the Police Commissioner came on board shortly after, stating that crime is down, quoting statistical figures from who knows where to support his argument.
I guess he was referring to the recent killings of criminals by the Force, hailing this as a success. Be that as it may, crime continues to be a bugbear and nothing seems to stop it.
The point I am making here is that the State, speaking through its representatives, the Director General and Commissioner is telling you one thing when the actual reality of the situation is totally different. Crime is a problem, a real big problem and if a comprehensive plan is not put in place things will – as they already have – become really ugly for locals and foreigners alike.
The recent killings and the strident statements by the Government have nothing to do with crime fighting, rather, it is a stop-gap reactionary move by the State as a result of the United States Advisory on Guyana. This PNC-led coalition is hard-pressed to stem the harsh criticism levelled against it by the US Government that they were forced to take those drastic measures, otherwise, it was business as usual where crime is concerned.
I told myself that I would not bring politics into my discussion on crime but the situation warrants me revealing the facts as it presents itself. This Government has to face the fact that they were and still is too cosy with criminals while in opposition as well as in Government, and as such they have only themselves to blame. One just has to look into the not so distant past and see their political manoeuvres and you would get the picture. This Government appears to only be concerned when the situation becomes sour and dire as the USA Government has indicated.
The Americans have been in and out of Guyana since the oil discovery and the superpower is ensuring that its citizens get the maximum-security doing business here. Hence, they have told the Guyana Government that they are not prepared to accept this armed robbery nonsense as normal behaviour. In this regard, we are now faced with these brutal put-downs.
But like I said, a piecemeal haphazard approach will get us nowhere, we have to get down to a long term concrete approach on crime to get this scourge under control. That long-term approach has been done in the last Administration and is on some shelf gathering dust. We must take a good look again at our crime plan and work that plan, it is the only way to bring crime down to a minuscule level.

Respectfully
submitted,
Neil Adams