The US Department of State has sent a stringent warning to all its citizens, urging them to exercise caution when visiting Guyana due to the evident spike in the country’s crime rate.
In a statement on its website, the Department stated there is a frequency of violent crimes, commonly armed robbery and murder. It specifically highlighted that the Police network is hindered to effectively alleviate these incidents due to the lack of resources.
“Violent crimes such as armed robbery and murder, is common. Local Police lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents,” the notice stated.
It further advised all travellers from the United States to be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs and avoid walking or driving in the nights. Persons were also advised not to resist any robbery attempts they might encounter and desist from displaying signs of wealth, such as expensive watches or jewellery.
The Smart Traveller Enrollment Programme (STEP) was recommended to locate victims during an emergency.
In Guyana’s Crime and Safety Report for 2018, which was created by the State Department, Georgetown was assessed as “a critical-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official US Government interests”.
It was indicated that the country’s crime statistics is above national average. It categorised local criminals based on their choice of weapons of local criminals and targets, some of whom are American citizens. However, Police Officers are also the victims in some cases.
“Criminals regularly use weapons, despite a rigorous licensing requirement to own firearms. Handguns, knives, machetes, or cutlasses tend to be the weapons of choice. Criminals may act brazenly, and Police Officers have been both victims and perpetrators of assaults and shootings. Criminals are increasingly willing to resort to violence while committing all types of crimes. Criminals are often organised, travel in groups of two or more, and conduct surveillance on their victims. Criminals generally will not hesitate to show multiple weapons as an intimidation tactic during a robbery,” the report stated.
The report added, “Foreigners in general are viewed as targets of opportunity, but Americans are not specifically targeted. Foreigners are very visible in public and should take precautions when visiting downtown areas. Most violent crimes against foreigners have occurred in the capital. However, there have been incidents of violent crimes committed in other parts of the country as well.”
Guyana’s crime rate is concentrated in Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), but there are significant cases in other parts of the coast.
Just recently, three bandits were killed during an encounter with Police Officers at Black Bush Polder, Region Six. Based on reports received, the Police operation and lasted a few hours, thus resulting in the death of the armed and dangerous men.
After the shootout, the Police retrieved several weapons and ammunition including an AR-15 assault rifle.
While these reports would have caught the attention of other countries, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan disclosed earlier this month that Guyana is not in “really bad state”.
“Sometimes this thing is emblazoned across the front pages of newspapers giving the impression as though we are in a real bad state, [but it’s] not really true,” he was quoted as saying.
However, this analysis of the escalating crime situation in Guyana did not go down well with Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Harry Gill; a member of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on the Security Sector, who in no uncertain terms called for the Minister to either be reassigned or fired as Public Security Minister.
“Like most Guyanese, I am totally disgusted by all the brutal, senseless killings and barefaced robberies taking place every day throughout the country, and the apparent lack of any coherent plan by the Minister of Public Security to end this escalating crime spree,” Gill said in a letter to the editor.
He posited that since 2015, crime has escalated to dangerous levels, prompting the British Government and the US State Department to issue travel advisories to their citizens to exercise caution when travelling to Guyana due to an increase in crime.
