Guyana sees a significant drop in the crime rate
─ Public Security Min. tells Novar residents
DPI, Guyana, Saturday, November 9, 2019
Guyana has seen a significant drop in the crime rate since the Coalition Government took office.
Minister of Public Security, Hon. Khemraj Ramjattan made this declaration during his address to a sizable crowd at a meeting held at the Novar Primary School in Region 5, on Friday.
According to the Public Security Minister, before 2015, the country had a crime rate of 19.5 per one hundred thousand persons, and now that figure stands at 15 per one hundred thousand persons, which is quite a significant decrease.
He acknowledged that over the past four and a half years there were challenges faced in the efforts to reduce the crime rate and work remains to be done in terms of public security. To this end, he reminded that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been continually enhancing the capacity of its officers.
“Never before, in the history of the Guyana Police Force, have there been so much training available for members of the force. Ranks have undergone training in places like Mexico, Ecuador, the United Kingdom, as well as in the Caribbean. These programmes have led to better overall performance by the police force with improved skills in catching criminals, and solving crimes,” Minister Ramjattan noted.
He told the gathering that since the change of government, more assets were made available to the force to help in the fight against crime and to improve the working conditions of the men and women in the force. To date, over 16 police stations have been renovated.
According to the Minister Ramjattan, the force must be able to utilise improved technology in the fight against crime and highlighted the effectiveness of the Smart City model which involves the installation of surveillance cameras in strategic locations.
Members of the community were also allowed to raise concerns as well as to discuss their views on matters affecting them. Among the issues raised was the state of the access road to the Abary Fish Port, and the need for proper farm to market roads. Minister Ramjattan assured the gathering that the relevant agencies will be lobbied so that appropriate actions can be taken in good time to improve the quality of life for the people affected.