Latest update January 17th, 2025 6:30 AM
Police incapable of arresting crime – Backer
“It is clear that this increasing criminality and lawlessness continues to reinforce the perception that the leadership of the Guyana Police Force, the Commissioner and the Crime Chief seem incapable of arresting and bringing to justice the perpetrators of such heinous acts…Far too many murders remain unsolved.”
Shadow Home Affairs Deborah Backer
This is according to Shadow Home Affairs Minister, Deborah Backer, who yesterday during the People’s National Congress Reform weekly press briefing said that her party has noted and has observed that there continues to be the alarming breakdown of law and order under the PPP/C regime.
She pointed to the most recent horrors— the barbaric killing of 16 year-old Neesa Lalita Gopaul; the gunning down of Mark Ceasar; and the execution-style killing of Patrick Goodluck and Godfrey Grootfaam.
“Our party expresses deep and sincere condolences to the families, relatives and friends of the deceased.”
She said that her party has always condemned criminality and wrongdoing. However, it is once again pleading with the government, the Guyana Police Force, and other members of the Joint Services, to demonstrate a greater resolve and commitment to fulfil their mandate to give ‘Service and Protection’ to all Guyanese citizens.
“To the detriment of strengthening the crime fighting and security maintenance capabilities of the GPF, the government and the Minister of Home Affairs have continued their stone walling tactics, since the receipt of the very clear recommendations for the reform of the Guyana Police Force, contained in the Disciplined Services Commission Report.”
Backer said that the nation is now reaping the bitter rewards for their (Administration) dilatoriness.
The Shadow Home Affairs Minister said that it must be recalled that her party, since eight years ago, has been calling for the Guyana Police Force and the PPP/C Administration to change its responses to murder and human rights abuses.
She pointed to a statement they had made in 2002 which read, “One would have expected that a decent Government, faced with the allegations of brutal murder committed by state forces, would have taken tangible steps to demonstrate to the people that it recognizes the serious concerns of the people and was prepared to respond.”
According to Backer the government’s continued resistance to the many local and international calls for an inquiry into the deaths of the hundreds of young men killed by officially supported Death Squads, is ample confirmation of reality that there are blood-stained hands that need to be kept from the glare of independent investigation.
She drew reference to the report in another section of the media on Monday captioned, “103 Murders up to the end of 3rd quarter – 20% above last year’s total”.
According to Backer, following that report that figure had increased to 106, by the next day, with the killings of Patrick Goodluck, Godfrey Grootfam, and Linden McPherson whose body was, discovered at Wismar, Linden with a gunshot wound and other marks of violence.
Backer said that the article stated, “September has recorded the highest tally for the year – 17”. The article goes on to state that, “In 2009 there was one murder every 4 days. For the first three quarters of this year (273 days) there has been one murder every two and a half days.”
An average of 11 killings has been reported every month this year and if the trend continues for the last quarter then there may be an approximate 40 per cent increase in murders for this year when compared to the previous.
Backer told media operatives that such statistics are alarming and unacceptable to the PNCR, and to the larger community, since they indicate that Guyana is heading down the road of a failed state.
“Children are losing parents, and parents are losing children…When will this killing season come to an end?”
Backer said that at present there seems to be no respect for the sanctity of human life and Guyanese are justifiably concerned about their security. “The leadership of the GPF seems content to issue banalities, such as ‘leads being followed’ and ‘investigations are ongoing”.
Backer said that in the present insecure environment, it is not surprising that a growing number of Guyanese, both young and old, do not consider Guyana any longer a safe place in which to live.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
No conflict of interest exists
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Accusations of conflict of interest have a peculiar way of rising to the surface in Guyana.... more
Clarifying misconceptions about the Panama Canal
Sir Ronald Sanders (Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS) By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News–... more
Weekend Cartoon
