High visibility patrols, mapped raids, helping in crime fight – Min. Ramjattan

– Public Security Ministry continues to implement strategies, programmes, and much more to fight crime

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, July 19, 2018

The Ministry of Public Security has and continues to implement plans, programmes and strategies to fight crime including the use of intelligence to conduct covert and overt operations throughout the country.

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan gave this assurance today in the National Assembly in response to a question posed by the Opposition.

Snap and deliberate roadblocks, random stops and searches on vehicles, raids at mapped areas, high visibility patrols, cordon and search at specific areas are some of the activities being undertaken by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to address the crime situation, the minister noted.

According to the Public Security Minister, maintenance of social and community-related programmes targeting at-risk youths in all police divisions form part of the Force’s social crime prevention strategy.

Collaboration with stakeholders such as private security firms and Community Policing Groups (CPG), along with open source monitoring of Social Media have also led to arrests, which are followed up by robust investigations, the minister clarified.

Importantly, Minister Ramjattan attributed the increase in reports of rape to renewed public trust in the Police Force to follow up on these incidents.

In this regard, several training programmes continue to be held for ranks to adequately deal with such reports and victims of rape.

The minister reminded that Guyana’s long and porous borders make it difficult for the disciplined services to track the entry of illegal weapons, however, he reassured that the police have been investigating these matters.

Satellite surveillance is ongoing and has assisted in the arrest of three suspicious aircraft, the minister informed.

Upgrades to police stations at Port Kaituma, Mabaruma, Cane Grove, Mibicuri, among others have completed with those at Annai and Aishalton undergoing upgrades.

In relation to money laundering, Minister Ramjattan said the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and other related agencies have been working collaboratively and have signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to share information to assist in the anti-money laundering efforts.

The SOCU is currently in receipt of nine money laundering referrals.

In response to opposition assertions, the minister made it clear that there have been no reports of corruption by this administration or any political interference in the operations of crime-fighting agencies.

By: Stacy Carmichael

Image: Jules Gibson