PSC calls for reactivation of Law and Order Commission

Nov 21, 2015 News

---

-As crime surge prompts the question “Who’s next?”

By Jarryl Bryan
In the wake of several high profile crimes, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is calling on the government to reactivate the National Commission on Law and Order. The body noted that the openness and transparency needed for it to co-operate with the police in fighting crime, is not there.

The National Commission on Law and Order was established, locally, in 2004 as part of a unilateral decision by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It dealt with high levels of violent crime and allowed a more inclusive partnership between Government and stakeholders.
During a press conference at the PSC headquarters on Waterloo Street, Chairman of the PSC, Major General (ret’d) Norman McLean, said that access to the Integrated Crime Information System (ICIS) was being “denied” by the Police. This information is important in determining crime fighting strategies.
“We have been denied access to the ICIS data and therefore cannot really help the police on this analytical tool,” McLean said. “Where is the transparency which was so widely touted? That was available at least through the Law and Order Commission.”
“This (ICIS statistics) is not a secret. As our people are being robbed and killed, let’s help and not bury our heads in the sand.”
“If you are going into a fight, you must be able to know what your opponent is going to do and how he will operate. That is what intelligence tells you. Where (crime) is likely to happen, how it is likely to happen, in what numbers.”
He noted that that data plots every crime. He also observed that every police station has the capability to record that data, thus, allowing the stations at that level to plot crime fighting on their respective maps and employ anticipatory measures.
According to McLean, he has been requesting that data for quite some time from Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud— as recent as last week. The last response he got to his requests was that Persaud was proceeding on leave and that he would have to request it from Deputy Commissioner Balram Persaud.
McLean produced a number of newspaper headlines that showed a trend of violent crime. The first was Saturday, October 31 headline “Gunmen hit Goed Fortuin Shop” where $900,000 was reported stolen. The Monday, November 2 news reports detailed the plight of miners who were brutally robbed.
He went on to note the headlines on Tuesday, November 3; “Motor bike bandits blitz Port Mourant grocery store” and the captions on Wednesday, November 4th “CG bandits storm America Street, rob money changers and shoot in the air.” The reports of a businesswoman being gun butted and robbed of cash and jewelry was also noted.
The reports of an Essequibo businessman being robbed for the second time, on November 4 were also cited.
“We can look at the situation on Vlissengen Road from Lamaha Street to Lama Avenue on Cirkel, Survival Supermarket, Pop Eyes Restaurant, Chick ’A’ dee, Rubis Gas station and Shell Gas station. They have been attacked repeatedly and robbed time and time again without any police action.”
Nor did McLean hesitate to remind of the attack on former Crime Chief Leslie James’s house, an attack described by many as an unprecedented act of brazenness on the part of criminal elements.
“The PSC is greatly concerned over the perceived hype in crimes and we are left to wonder who is next.” He noted. “Crimes of violence are being conducted with impunity and little regard for life and no respect or fear of the police and consequences of their action.”
“People are living in fear-old and young are being targeted. A good example is the brazen attack on the money changers on America Street. I think it amounts to sending a message to everyone that we can do what we like (without fear).”
“I have been there before,” McLean said. He was a security administrator in the 1960s. “And I would really like to see the police strategize properly—to have police (ranks) on their beats, vehicles (should be) on patrol. Better prevention (strategies). We have just launched a programme for Christmas. I would like to see that programme expanded beyond Christmas.”
McLean unveiled to the media a revised document, ‘Strategies for Reduction of Crime in Guyana’, which was first presented by McLean at the Guyana Police Force Annual Officers Conference in January. While he got feedback from the police at the time, he is yet to see the implementation of the document.
Among the recommendations which he flagged was a comprehensive analysis that would allow the police to deploy ranks in a more systematic manner. He noted that ‘A’ division (Georgetown and its environs) accounted for 65 percent of crime in the country.
“Are our strategies driven by our analysis of the crime situation? Are the police being guided by what that (ICIS) data is feeding them?” He queried. “That is what it is supposed to do. We in the private sector have helped the police in the past with motor cycles; equipment etc and we will continue to do so. There can be no development in our country without security.”
Kaieteur News understands that the revised document of crime fighting strategies will be handed over to the Police next week.

---

---