Robberies up by 22%…its portentous effects!

Dear Editor,
Robberies in Guyana are up by 22 per cent… that is the latest statistical figure given by the Guyana Police Force. Now, I am more inclined to believe that this is a highly conservative statistic, given the present climate that exists in Guyana. Because many robberies go unreported, especially robberies of the armed type, or where gun/s are involved.
In a country where robberies form part of the daily grind — incidents involving theft, or forceful removal of one’s property — victims are most often reluctant to report or to prosecute the offenders. They would have thrown up their hands in frustration, or might have given in, saying, ‘Why bother? This is Guyana’. So thieves, bandits and robbers are emboldened by this acceptance of the situation by the hapless populace. As someone sarcastically remarked, armed robberies are the only successful business in Guyana. I would rephrase that to say armed robberies constitute the most successful occupation in Region Four. When you can have persons as young as 17 bearing high-powered weapons and carrying out armed invasions with impunity, then you know where we are going as a nation.
To make our situation more grievous, This PNC-led Coalition seems to be oblivious to the goings-on around them. And I am of the staunch belief that the reason behind that “ostrich head in the sand” behaviour is because most of these sadistic acts are taking place in or close to their main stronghold, Georgetown; so let us appear not to know.
Twenty-two per cent at face value might seem an innocuous figure, but in a small society such as ours, that is a really frightening statistic, where you don’t know when you might become the next victim or fatality in another armed robbery. Guyanese are now, as it were, paralysed by fear in this sick and sad country.

Respectfully,
Neil Adams