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Security is everybody’s business

May 28, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
It is gravely obvious that violent criminal elements are holding society to ransom. Not a day goes by that someone is not robbed, physically harmed or killed by bandits. And they seem to operate with impunity: hit and disappear.
Where to? They must live somewhere; they must be known. So why is it so difficult to find and neutralise them? Simple: They are protected! Protected by those who live off the blood money, and protected by some of those who should be protecting law abiding citizens.
The Guyana Police Force should not be held totally culpable for these criminals to continue on their rampage. The citizenry must take much of the blame.
There are in excess of 250 Community Policing Groups (CPG) in Guyana. Unfortunately, however, few are active and fewer still are effective enough to make an impression on criminals in their communities.
Lest I be misunderstood, let me unhesitatingly give praise to those CPG members who give of their time, money and other resources, and risk their lives to execute patrols in their communities.
Let me also acknowledge the commitment of Minister Rohee in his untiring effort to energise CPGs and the resources made available by the Administration to CPGs. Simultaneously, let me berate those who find silly excuses for not getting involved in defending their community.
Regrettably, we seem to have an attitude in Guyana where we feel that we have no responsibility to protect ourselves and our property. Somebody else must do that for us. And I write from bitter experience. Ninety-nine per cent of the residents in any community which has a CPG think that those active souls are paid to patrol and protect their communities. How often haven’t we read or heard after an incident:
Where was the Policing Group? Where were you?
Folks, wake up! Every resident in a community should be a member of the CPG! The safety of any community is directly related to the active involvement of every household in the protection of that community.
People, stop being petty; stop blaming whom you do or don’t get along with. The criminals don’t care a hoot about that. Also, stop thinking that you have nothing for the criminals to come for. You may not have money. But criminals have been known to rape and kill when they do not get money.
I am saddened that I must be as bold as I am, because we are allowing a small percentage of miscreants to do as they please in the midst of thousands in a community. If that is not stupidity or cowardice, I do not know what is. People, let us identify the criminal elements amongst us, and pass on the information to the police (at least those we can trust). Let the criminals know that we know them and we are watching them and we are prepared to take them on as a community.
That is the only way we can protect ourselves and what we have worked very hard to achieve.
And while I am at it, I know that certain elements in the Police Force show open antagonism to CPG members. We must be prepared to take them on too. As far as all the pronouncements go, everyone in authority advocates for closer working relationship between the police and the community. Let us demand that and let us help to make that happen.
We will shed bitter tears if all in a community do not stand together in the fight against these merciless criminals.
T. Jadunauth

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