Where is the Comprehensive Crime Fighting Strategy? Rohee’s rhetoric does not add up!

Jan 08, 2014 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Guyanese, for more than a decade, have been calling for a comprehensive crime fighting strategy, and we have also called for the comprehensive reform of the disciplined services. In fact, the Discipline Services Report submitted at the conclusion of the inquiry into the Gajraj affair, recommends an overhaul of institutions such as the Guyana Police Force. The recent KN article dated 1/06/2014 and captioned “Rohee stresses training for police ranks” reminds us why there still remains an urgent need for such a strategy.
In the news article, Mr. Rohee is reported to have stated a number of things which he claims will be done for the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), in 2014. However, Rohee fails to outline a clear vision or strategic plan for the disciplined services. He talks about the US$796,987.000 contract the Guyana government signed with the U.S government to train and establish a special SWAT team in the GPF but fails to intimate how this unit will effectively improve the security situation for the people.
He also went on to talk about budgeting for the training of 14 police officers at the aeronautical engineering school at Ogle. While these pronouncements may sound or seem like lofty ideas, they are doomed to fail if these approaches remain detached from a holistic or comprehension crime fighting strategy. In this era of strategic interagency cooperation, multitasking, strategic planning and coordination across sectors, Rohee fails to outline a plan of how the Guyana Police Force will work with other sectors, agencies and the Guyanese community to improve the crime and security situation in the country. Simply saying that the government has proposed a name change for the Guyana Prison Service to the ‘Guyana Prison and Correctional Service’ means nothing if the name change is not connected to or associated with some stated or articulated change of direction for the prison system.
Mr. Rohee refuses to highlight the strategic reason for the name change and fails to propose sound rational for that change. I am quite sure that if the mere name change will improve the prison system we will all refrain from pressing Mr. Rohee on this issue, but we know that there is no magic in this.
I must admit that instituting the word ‘correctional’ in the name sounds appetizing but that alone does not cut it. The people need to be sold on the name, and they must see how this name change will positively impact on their own lives. The Guyanese people are the major stakeholders in this situation and they must be consulted on anything that will have the minutest impact on their lives. It is an insult for Rohee and the PPP/C to continue to disrespect and take us for granted!
I recalled that the PNCR had proposed and strongly advocated for the name of the Guyana Police Force to be changed to the Guyana Police Service. The party engaged many stakeholders, including ordinary Guyanese citizens, to explain its position and rational for the name change. This name change was being promoted within a larger strategy which was focused on initiating a comprehensive reform of the Guyana Police Force. Chief among the reasons, for the change, was to attract renewed respect for the police and to restore confidence on the part of the citizenry in the force.
It was explained that the word ‘service’ may serve to diffuse the notion that the work of the police is to mainly confront and react. In the PNCR’s views the intention, of the name change, was to create a more harmonious relationship between the police and citizen, where each is ready and willing to cooperate with each other. The hope was to help to change the negative image of the Guyana Police Force and to help in improving the crime and security situation in the country.
It is clear that, since Mr. Rohee has indicated that he has already instructed the Attorney General to have the Bill for the name change of the prison service tabled at the next sitting of Parliament, the PPP/C did not think it necessary to consult with stakeholders and the ordinary Guyanese people on the matter.
For me, this is another example of how the PPP/C blatantly disregards the Guyanese people. Will Dr. Luncheon see the disrespect in this move? I bet not; as he seem only to be preoccupied with the actions of the American Ambassador. I however hope that when the Bill gets to Parliament, proper scrutiny is done and the question of a comprehensive crime fighting strategy is once again raised. The Guyanese people deserve better!
Lurlene Nestor

 

 

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