In wake of recent gun crimes… Teixeira calls for meeting of Oversight Committee on Security

Jan 16, 2018 News

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In light of recent reports of a number of gun-related crimes, Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, has called for the convening of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on the Security Sector, which is chaired by Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan.

The bipartisan committee which includes members from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the governing coalition, last met in July 2017.

Members of the coalition on the Committee are Attorney General Basil Williams, Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder; Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and Hemraj Rajkumar, while the Opposition is represented by former Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, Joseph Hamilton, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran and Harry Gill.

“We are calling for the meeting of the Committee because it needs to deal with some of the concerns of the Guyanese people, including the concerns of the prisons and public safety,” Teixeira told Kaieteur News yesterday.

The Opposition Chief Whip added, “We are in January, and the Minister has not convened a meeting. If he convenes the meeting, it allows for discussions with members of the Parliamentary level to discuss concerns of public safety and not just the prison, but crime and security as well.”

The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on the Security Sector examines the policies and administration of the entities in the security sector, namely the Disciplined Forces of Guyana. Additionally, the Committee has the power to co-opt experts or enlist the aid of other persons of appropriate expertise, whether or not such experts or persons are members of the National Assembly.

The Opposition has also called for the Committee to review the Camp Street fire and prison break that left one prison officer dead. Minister Ramjattan has indicated that a Commission of Inquiry will be established upon the recapture of the last two escapees.

“While they don’t want to form a Commission of Inquiry, there is nothing that stops the Parliamentary Committee discussing the other issues of crime and security. It appears that the Minister is reluctant to do so,” Teixeira said.

There are rising concerns about the daily armed robberies with 12 recorded gunpoint robberies in the first 13 days of the year. From the statistics compiled by Kaieteur News, most of the robberies occurred in ‘A’ and ‘C’ Divisions.

Police have had to contend with a series of brazen robberies, of which at least nine were committed by gunmen on motorcycles.

About a week ago, the US Department of State warned to its citizens, who might be travelling to Guyana. It asked that visitors exercise increased caution due to the country’s crime rate.

It is unclear if the recent spate of armed robberies throughout the country is what pushed the US Department of State to issue the warning on its site, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html.

There are four advisory levels: Level one—exercise normal precautions; Level two—exercise increased caution; Level three—reconsider travel and Level four— do not travel.

Guyana is listed under level two with a message, “violent crime, such as armed robbery and murder, is common”.

According to the U.S report, local police lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. Guyana is at the same level with Jamaica. That country recorded 38 murders, 16 shootings and 17 robberies for the first six days in the year.

Minister Ramjattan told the National Assembly last week that the negativity towards crime is dominating and that crime is relatively low when compared to Caribbean states such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. The Minister also pointed to the reduction in the incidence of piracy.

Teixeira emphasised that the responsibility placed on the Oversight Committee is a serious one, because it has been established under the Constitution of Guyana.

“It plays an important role in not only sharing information, but having a serious discussion in a confidential way and being able to make recommendations to the House and Government on how to improve security and protect our people.”

She stated too that the Committee members should not only be briefed, but must be able to discuss the matters brought by the Government, by having their input added on a national issue.

“Crime is not a partisan issue,” Teixeira noted.

President David Granger last week convened a meeting of the National Security Committee to address issues relating to crime and security.

According to statistics shared by the Guyana Police Force, there was an eleven percent decrease in serious crimes such as murder and robbery under arms in 2017.

There was a worrisome rise in carjackings with 47 recorded carjackings in 2017. In contrast, in 2015 there were 41 cases, and 36 in 2016. Of the 47 cars stolen last year, 16 were Toyota Premio, and eight were Toyota Allion.

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