Efforts underway to ensure a safer Guyana-Pres. Granger

Efforts underway to ensure a safer Guyana–Pres. Granger

Oct 15, 2016 News

President, David Granger

The safety of the nation’s citizens is a subject matter that President David Granger treats with importance. In this regard, he announced during his address to the Parliament on Thursday that a number of plans are underway to ensure a safer Guyana.
The Head of State said that his government will not only make the nation more secure by combating crime and criminals, but by also uprooting the causes of crime and its links with transnational crime.
He told Members of Parliament that his Government has since established a National Security Committee and is in the process of creating a new National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA) to address the mother of all crimes – the trafficking in narcotics.
Granger, with his years of military experience, also announced that the administration is working to establish a new National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) to ensure better surveillance of the nation’s borders and coasts.
The President said, “We have taken a decision, also, to re-engage the United Kingdom with a view to restoring the aborted Security Sector Reform Action Plan (SSRAP).
“The Plan will commence soon with the arrival of experts from the United Kingdom to advise us on crafting a national security response to domestic and transnational crime – including narcotics-trafficking and gun-running.”
Granger said that aerial surveillance of the maritime zone over the past year led to a reduction in the incidence of piracy. He said that the government will continue to augment the Guyana Police Force’s Marine Branch.
Additionally, the President said that the Mounted Branch will also be expanded to enable it to conduct patrols in the savannahs and back-dams, which are not easily accessible by vehicular patrols.
He said that the Corps of Wardens will enforce the law with regard to mining, logging, hunting wildlife and trafficking in persons in the hinterland.
Granger noted that the ‘green’ economy will require significant new local and foreign investment. He said that efforts in this regard will require protection.
Since Government recognises the importance of human safety, the Head of State said that a secure environment and legal framework for attracting such investment will be created.
“We want to protect our citizens, fisher folk, households and farmlands,” expressed Granger.