PPP Parliamentarian is appalled at this opinion of the President

Dec 04, 2016 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Editor’s note: This is the conclusion of Mr. Gill’s letter carried in our edition on Friday under the caption, “PPP Parliamentarian lives in fear of being mugged”

Earlier this month, the President said he would like to see fewer weapons in the hands of private citizens, “It is my personal view that weapons should be used by law enforcement agencies – the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force… The Minister of Public Security and I are reducing the frequency or the ease or controlling the ease with which some people can get weapons.” This policy was confirmed by Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan who said that steps are being taken to re-assess licensed firearm holders to ensure they are still eligible for gun permits. While I agree that a system is necessary to ensure firearm holders are eligible to retain gun permits, another confidential source reveals that some APNU/AFC loyalists are now the beneficiaries of multiple firearms permits.
I am appalled that the President is of the opinion or was so advised that some licensed firearm holders loaned their guns to bandits in exchange for some of the proceeds of crime. This is as ludicrous as Granger insinuating that “there are some persons who are committing crimes to show that the Police Force and Government are weak”. Where’s the proof Mr. President? Speculating on things without evidence can be both dangerous and irresponsible, and may cause you to look in the wrong direction for the answers you need.
Kaieteur News columnist, Freddie Kissoon in his November 24 column wrote, “A businessman of La Penitence on June 17, lodged for safe keeping at the Brickdam police station, one .32 Taurus Semi-automatic pistol – number FUH83936, with one magazine and 10 rounds of .32 ammunition and a sidekick holster. The items were entered into the property book with the number PBP, ENT 536.
On July 16, the gentleman went to uplift his stuff. The items could not be found and he was told to return. He has done that several times and the items have been declared missing… A senior official in the office of the Prime Minister left the country in May this year and lodged at the Brickdam police station his Taurus .32 semi-automatic gun, number FFY49197 with one magazine with eight .32 rounds of ammunition. He returned to Guyana in June, went to uplift his stuff only to be told to return since they cannot be located. He has journeyed to the Brickdam police station ten times since. The items have been declared missing.”
This led the columnist to ask, “How did these guns go missing? Where are they?” You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to conclude that senior ranks of the Guyana Police are involved in the disappearance of these weapons and perhaps many more. In February of 2006, thirty AK-47s along with five pistols vanished from the GDF’s armoury at the base camp. As of October 2010, twenty of these stolen weapons were found in the possession of criminals. Ten are still missing.
These are the guns that the President and Minister Ramjattan should be more concerned with, and more determine to recover before taking away firearms from businessmen, farmers and other law-abiding citizens. Crime is on the increase but this Administration feels they have it under control.
The Guyana Parliament plays a crucial role in ensuring that security policies and security practices are transparent and accountable to the wider population.
I am a member of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee for the Security Sector. This committee includes Public Security Minister, the Hon. Khemraj Ramjattan as Chairman, and Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, the Hon. Basil Williams; former Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Clement Rohee among others. For the entire life of the Eleventh Parliament under the APNU+AFC, this vitally important committee has met just once. A second meeting that should have been held a week ago was rescheduled for January next year. Guyanese live in fear of gun-toting bandits that brazenly rob their victims day and night without mercy, and this is the lack of importance the Minister of Public Security places on scheduling regular meeting of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee for the Security Sector to enable us to find solutions to reduce crime.
The Granger Administration has no economic plan to create jobs, stabilize the economy, and reduce inflation. The APNU+AFC mantra of ‘a good life’ is not reaching the masses. This rhetoric falls pretty short of reality and the government seems clueless to find workable solutions. Without jobs, people become desperate and desperate people sometimes do desperate things.
Harry Gill, MP (PPP)

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