Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Granger dismisses Ramotar’s calls for army to join crime fight
President David Granger has dismissed a call from former Head of State, Donald Ramotar, for the Guyana Defence Force to be deployed on the streets to help the police tackle criminal activity.
President David Granger
“I believe that Mr. Ramotar as a former head of state should not comment on current political activities. As Commander in Chief and as Minister of Defence, I have given instructions to the army and I think the best thing would be for Mr. Ramotar not to interfere in the way the Guyana Defence Force is being administered,” the President said.
Earlier this week former President Ramotar, noting the apparent increase in criminal activity, had pointed out that it is not strange these days for the military to be deployed to assist the regular law enforcement agencies in crime fighting.
He reminded that during the PPP/C period in office, the Army was called out to do joint patrols with the police in times of heightened criminal activities, and according to Ramotar that arrangement worked well.
But Granger said that any decision to deploy the army is not in the making at the present time, since the situation does not warrant such interventions.
“It is a decision that I will make in my considered judgement…I have a Defence Board, I meet the Chief of Staff every week and I am fully aware of what needs to be done in order to deal with the defence situation that Guyana finds itself in at present, and also the crime situation. I have given instructions both to the police and the Guyana Defense Force,” President Granger said.
He said that he is advised and is very confident that his instructions are in the best interest of the nation.
When asked if he is seeing the type of delivery he is looking for the President said, “I am seeing a difference and I am seeing a lot more criminals being arrested very soon after the commission of events. I’m seeing greater response from the CID and I’m very satisfied with that.”
He added, “There are other problems which have developed over the past 23 years which we are trying to
Donald Ramotar
rectify.”
President Granger’s comments came on the heels of a statement from the Guyana Police Force, which also brushed aside Ramotar’s call.
The Force said that only recently, the Head of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Police Force’s brief to the media and the business community on the Police Christmas Policing Plan, did emphatically make the case that crime is not spiraling out of control based on statistics. This was supported by other data.
“The Guyana Police Force reiterates that in the recent instances when the Guyana Defence Force was called out in support of the Police, it was with the aim of giving assurance to the members of the public and for confidence boosting, and not because the police were overwhelmed by the crime situation,” the police said.
It added that the most recent deployment of the GDF in support of the GPF was during March and April this year, prior to the last General and Regional Elections. This is historically a period punctuated with high tension and general unease in the public domain.
“The deployment for that period, which was a joint Army/Police initiative, served its purpose. It is unfortunate that the press statement gave the impression that in view of the recent armed robbery committed on an Assistant Commissioner of Police, that any citizen should feel vulnerable. Our view is that such a statement is mistaken and does not fit into the context,” the police stated.
Yesterday, President Granger said that the Police Force was seriously degraded and that the Security Sector reforms that were previously agreed to with Britain were never implemented, and we have inherited a force which is weak and we are now trying to make it much stronger.
“We have to put a lot of emphasis on equipment, on training, on ensuring that the policemen are well paid and they are well officered and commanded. We are looking at the deployment of more policemen to the hinterland; having horses deployed to the hinterland so they can do patrols in vulnerable areas such as the Rupununi. I’m sure that in maybe half a year or so we will be on top of the crime situation,” the President assured.
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